


The Queen of Snitch-Catching

by marinatyrell



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Eventual James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, F/M, First War with Voldemort, Minor Marlene McKinnon/Dorcas Meadowes, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s), Sirius Black & James Potter Friendship, Sirius Black & Lily Evans Potter Friendship, Werewolf Remus Lupin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-09-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:27:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 19
Words: 99,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25678069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marinatyrell/pseuds/marinatyrell
Summary: The Marauders' tumultuous life seen through the eyes of Marina Potter, older twin sister of James. The war subtly rages on outside the gates of Hogwarts, but until the warriors of tomorrow are able to help, they must first solve their own problems. Turns out, they've got a lot of them.Year Six and until death do we part.
Relationships: James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Sirius Black/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 64





	1. Prologue

✱✱✱✱✱

Marina awoke on a beautiful mid-July day to the sound of an owl tapping its beak on her bedroom window. The girl blinked a couple times, confused. The mail was usually delivered to her parents' room or the living room; why was the owl bothering her?

Unless, the girl thought, the mail was addressed to her! But she shook her head; she never received mail. Marina reached forward to open the window and let the owl in. Tied to the grey, speckled owl's feet was a letter sealed with red wax on yellow parchment. She was mistaken, however, that the letter was not for her when she read to whom the letter was addressed.

In emerald ink, read: _Miss M. Potter, The Second Largest Bedroom, Potter Manor._

The girl's eyes widened, and a fluttery feeling erupted in her chest—could this be her Hogwarts letter at last? Marina tore into the envelope as fast as she could without ripping it in half.

_Dear Miss Potter,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

_Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress_

After Marina finished reading, she looked back to the owl and noticed a second letter attached to the other foot of the owl. Grinning with pride, she untied the letter and read the same address on the front besides two small details— _Mr. J. Potter, The Third-Largest Bedroom, Potter Manor_ —she always knew that she had the bigger bedroom, but now she had proof.

Marina yelled at the top of her lungs, "JAMES!"

It only took a few seconds before she heard the padding of feet and a door slamming shut behind someone.

"What's with the shouting?" James, her brother, asked as he threw open her bedroom door.

Marina didn't bother to retort, bursting to tell him the news, "Our letters finally came!" James' eyes went so wide that Marina thought they might fall out of his head.

"Already? But it's only July!" James scrambled to take a peek at the letter in her hand.

"Here's yours!" Marina smiled brightly, dropping the envelope complete with the Hogwarts seal, confirming her information to be true.

"I can't believe it," the boy's jaw still hadn't made its way back from the floor. His eyes squinted as he read the front, "Hey, your bedroom really is bigger than mine."

Marina only laughed, "Told you!"

"I can't believe they finally came!" James stared disbelievingly at the parchment in his hand.

"Oh, shut up, you knew it was coming," Marina smirked, "Merlin knows you aren't a squib with all your accidental magic."

James' cheeks tinted pink, "That just means I have more potential than the likes of you. I've only seen you do magic twice. Who's to say you won't end up in Hufflepuff with all that lack of magical talent?"

Marina should be offended, but she was too excited at the prospect of Hogwarts that she just rolled her eyes, "Better than Slytherin."

"Right that," James nodded, pushing his rectangular glasses up the bridge of his nose.

Marina's lips tilted up into a half-smile at this, thanking her mum's genes for allowing her to go her life without needing glasses. Unfortunately for him, the younger twin got the faulty Potter eyesight where Marina inherited their mother's stubbornness. Although they both had messy, unable to keep controlled hair, Marina's resembled her mother's dark brown rather than James' raven black. The only thing they really completely shared were their hazel eyes. The two looked quite similar when they were born and acquired the same knack for trouble at a young age, making them practically inseparable. As they grew older, they didn't become any less attached to one another, but their habits and looks began to differ.

Finally, she looked away, and her eyes settled on the piece of parchment with the list of school supplies that first years required.

"I can't wait to get my own owl," she mused, staring at the available options for pets allowed at Hogwarts.

James nodded, nose wrinkling, "I can't wait to make friends besides the awful Muggle kids in our neighborhood."

Marina had to laugh at that; they really were quite terrible to them. Apparently, wizard robes weren't popular in the Muggle world, and the children who lived near them would often tease the Potter twins about their parents' fashion choices.

"I'm sure not all Muggles are like that," Marina defended.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," James nodded in agreement.

"What was all that yelling about?" Euphemia Potter asked, arriving at the bottom of the stairs.

Marina grinned brightly again, "Our Hogwarts letters came! Where's dad?"

"Your Hogwarts letters came?" Fleamont Potter asked excitedly after rushing down the stairs, almost knocking his wife down in the process.

Euphemia only laughed, "Yes, dear. Everyone's very excited."

"Well, we have to go shopping for supplies!" Fleamont rushed over to his kids. "We'll go to Diagon Alley in the morning!"

James and Marina shared a look of anticipation; it had been a while since they were lucky enough to spend a day in Diagon Alley.

"Oh, and I just know you both will—"

"Be sorted into Gryffindor," the twins chorused.

James jumped on the table, "Where dwell the brave at heart!"

Marina's smile never left her face, "I can't wait!"

✱✱✱✱✱

Only one month later, Marina prepared herself to say goodbye to her parents. Her brother shared the same excitement mixed with homesickness.

"We'll be fine," James said the night before they left. Marina had come to his room, worried about leaving their parents and home for a whole year. "We have each other, and I'm not going anywhere."

Marina smiled, nodded, and gave her brother the biggest hug before he finally kicked her out so she would get some sleep. Not that it helped, of course, she was filled with anticipation for what was to come the next day.

The Hogwarts Express was bigger than she imagined from her parents' stories. It was one of the brightest shades of red she'd ever seen, and she couldn't help but be intimidated by its glory. This train would bring her to the future, to her new home. A soft smile had fallen across her face at the thought, and she bravely pulled her trunk toward the train. As she approached the door labeled "Student's Belongings," she realized she had gotten separated from her brother and parents. Marina had only shrugged, knowing her family would find her eventually to say goodbye. What she really wanted to do was make sure that her trunk made it onto the train with all her possessions; the mere thought of leaving behind her school robes and textbooks was enough to send her into a bout of anxiety.

Marina set down her owl's cage, smiling at the sight of her new tawny owl that she named Athena after the wise Greek goddess. The owl hooted contentedly, and Marina went back to her trunk. She steeled herself and attempted to pull it up onto the train, but she failed due to her lack of upper body strength. Just because she played Quidditch apparently didn't mean she was able to lift a heavy trunk. She cursed herself for her perfect eyesight and quick reflexes that made her a good Seeker, and instead wished she had the strength of a Beater to lift her trunk off the ground. She tried several more times, but to no use.

"Need some help?" someone asked behind her.

Marina turned, startled from her thoughts. She locked eyes with a black-haired, grey-eyed boy that looked to be a first year, too. He looked as though he was expecting her to say yes to his help, and the sparkle in his eye let her know that he was teasing her. Her eyes narrowed, recognizing traits of her brother in the boy standing in front of her.

"No, I'm alright," Marina replied, pulling up on her trunk again. This time, she managed to pull it a half an inch further up off the ground.

The boy only laughed and reached forward to pick up the other end of the trunk, helping her place it on the train. Marina's mouth twitched at the sound of the boy's laughter. It wasn't a rude sort of laughter, more like he was harmlessly teasing her. Marina decided she liked the sound of it.

"There, now you're 'alright,'" the grey-eyed boy smiled at her.

Marina couldn't help but smile back, "Thank you..?"

"Oh," the boy understood her hesitation. "My name is Sirius."

"Nice to meet you, Sirius," Marina's smile hadn't faded from her lips. "I'm Marina, Marina Potter."

"Of the sea," Sirius recalled, smirking inwardly.

Marina's eyebrows furrowed quizzically, "Pardon?"

"Of the sea," he repeated, looking up at her, the bright smile never fading. "Marina, in Latin, means 'of the sea.'"

"Oh," Marina commented, wondering why he decided to bring up the Latin origin of her name, but she wasn't complaining. "That's cool, I suppose—"

"Marina!" a voice called from behind her.

"Sounds like someone's looking for you," Sirius said, smiling softly.

"My father," the girl replied simply, looking in the direction she heard the voice.

"Right, better say goodbye to your family before the train leaves," Sirius said. There was a tone to his voice Marina didn't recognize as he spoke, but it was gone when he continued, "I hope to see you around, Marina."

"You too, Sirius," and she meant it.

The boy gave a ridiculous bow before she left, causing Marina to snort loudly and return him with a quick curtsy before seeking out the family she accidentally abandoned.

✱✱✱✱✱

Marina looked up from her book—just one of the many textbooks she purchased from Flourish and Blotts in Diagon Alley—looking around the empty train compartment. Her brother left to find the food trolley in the hopes of grabbing a few Chocolate Frogs and Pumpkin Pasties for the two, but he hadn't returned, and it had been a while.

After debating for a moment, the girl decided to go looking for him. She had only made it about a third of the way down the train carriage before she saw James sitting down across from none other than the boy who had helped with her trunk: Sirius. Along with the two boys, a dark red-haired girl and a greasy looking boy with long hair sat in the compartment. Marina wrinkled her nose at the sight of the boy with long hair; why didn't boys their age concern themselves with personal hygiene? Marina slowly slid the door of the compartment open, and all four pairs of eyes landed on her in an instant.

Sirius smiled, and James looked simply startled before having the decency to look guilty for leaving her alone. The other two occupants of the compartment seemed to go back to their own conversation.

"Marina," Sirius nodded at her, granting her another one of his crooked grins.

"Hi, Sirius," she waved, confusing her brother with her greeting for the boy.

"You two already know each other?" James looked puzzled.

"He helped me with my trunk on the platform," Marina replied, sending a polite nod at Sirius before turning back to her brother. "Thanks for ditching me."

"Sorry 'Rina," he apologized. "I met Sirius on the way to the trolley, and we got to talking. And I already ate the pasties, but I have a Chocolate Frog left!"

Marina scoffed, crossing her arms, "You're lucky I'm not very hungry."

James winced, knowing she'd get him back for abandoning her later. Marina took the Frog from her brother, seating herself next to him. She opened her mouth to ask what Sirius was talking about that was so interesting to leave her alone, but she overheard the other two occupants of the compartment having their own conversation.

"—hope you're in Slytherin," was all Marina comprehended of the long-haired boy's and the redhead girl's conversation, but apparently, James had been eavesdropping.

"Who wants to be in Slytherin?" James scoffed loudly, looking over at Sirius for backup. "I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?"

Marina frowned, unhappy with her brother's delivery, but not objecting to his statement.

Surprisingly, Sirius' face didn't change from his thoughtful expression he'd been wearing since Marina entered the compartment, "My whole family have been in Slytherin."

Marina's eyes widened; she'd not been expecting that. The boy had seemed so charming and just plain nice to her, if not for a little teasing. She hadn't been expecting the boy to come from a family of Slytherins. Surely just because his family was in Slytherin didn't mean that he was as bad. Marina's mouth twitched into a small frown as she realized she was coming up with excuses to defend a boy she just met.

"Blimey, and I thought you seemed alright!" James replied incredulously, only half-joking.

Surprising Marina yet again, Sirius' face broke into a grin, "Maybe I'll break the tradition. Where are you two heading, if you had the choice?"

Marina smiled, grateful to be included, "Well, like our dad—"

"To Gryffindor!" James lifted an invisible sword. "Where dwell the brave at heart!"

Marina rolled her eyes, "He does that every single time, it gets quite annoying."

The redhead girl snorted, sending her an amused look. Marina smiled back, pleased that someone found her funny. The long-haired boy, on the other hand, made a small, disparaging noise.

"Got a problem with that?" James noticed the boy, too. Sirius' eyes flicked from Marina to Greasy Boy, as Marina had begun to call him in her head.

"No," Greasy Boy shrugged, "If you'd rather be brawny than brainy—"

Marina made an offended squeak, but Sirius replied before she could, "Where're you hoping to go? Seeing as you're neither?"

The twins burst out laughing, and Sirius smirked, a look of pride on his face as he watched Marina gasp for breath at the look on Greasy Boy's face after he realized what Sirius said.

Whatever amused look the redhead girl had was gone now, and she stood up in a fury, "Come on, Severus, let's find another compartment." Greasy Boy—Severus—followed the girl obediently out of the compartment.

Before the door closed, James called out, "See ya, Snivellus!"

A moment passed in silence before Marina looked over at her brother, " _Snivellus_?"

"Yeah, like, he snivels," James defended the nickname, "It's a play on his name, you see."

"I think it's brilliant," Sirius nodded his head in agreement, smirking devilishly. James beamed at him.

Marina shook her head, but couldn't help a small smile on her face as she spoke, "Boys. I'll never understand."

The train's whistle sounded three times, signaling that they were nearing Hogwarts. The three first years looked out the window and laid eyes on the most beautiful castle in the distance.

"Merlin," Sirius breathed, moving closer to the window. Marina and James followed, awestruck. The castle stood atop a hill of green grass with a sparkling blue lake glittering in the sun below it. To say the architecture was stunning was an understatement, and Marina didn't think she'd ever seen a more majestic structure in her life.

"We get to _live_ there," Marina's eyes were alight with happiness.

"I can't wait until we're there," James smirked, staring at the castle in longing.

"Well, we better get into our robes," Marina said, breaking the boys from their trance. The girl subconsciously checked the pocket in her jacket for her wand and felt reassured when she laid two of her fingers on it. She was terrified she'd lose it at any moment ever since she got the sleek elm wand back in Diagon Alley.

James nodded, pulling himself to his feet and sighing, "If she didn't know everything about everything, I'd probably be back on the platform."

Marina scoffed as Sirius laughed, shaking his head, "I wish I had someone looking out for me."

James seemed to notice the sudden shift in conversation, but he didn't address it. Instead, he flung an arm around the boy's shoulders.

"Now you do," he said resolutely.

Sirius looked touched for a moment, unsure why this random boy he'd known for only two hours had pledged to look out for him. The boy's eyes then landed on Marina, watching the scene with a small smile.

"I'll see you two after?" she asked, sliding the compartment door open.

"Yeah, we'll meet you when we're done," James agreed.

With a satisfied nod, she slid the compartment door back into place behind her.

"Your sister—" Sirius began, staring at the spot where she'd last been standing.

"She's kind of a prig," James waved him off, "but, if you're gonna be my friend, you'll have to get used to her."

Sirius finally tore his eyes away from the door, "Yeah, no problem."

✱✱✱✱✱

Marina stepped off the small boat that carried the first years across the Black Lake, using Sirius' outstretched hand to help her onto dry land.

"Thanks," she said quickly before falling into step beside her brother. The messy-haired boy seemed to be staring past the crowd of first years and at the girl closest to the front of the line: the dark red-haired girl from the train.

"I think he fancies her," whispered Sirius from behind her, leaning forward, "After you left the compartment, he said he thought she was the prettiest girl he'd ever seen."

Marina's jaw dropped, "Really?"

Sirius beamed, nodding enthusiastically, but James pushed Sirius over with one hand, having heard their exchange. Marina giggled, and Sirius just laughed as James tried to defend himself.

"I just said that a pretty girl like her doesn't need to hang out with that greasy Slytherin git!" James protested, shaking his head.

Sirius' grin wavered for a moment, and Marina noticed. She sent him an encouraging look, having a feeling his sudden mood change had to do with the Sorting. The three first years looked up and saw the huge doors leading into the Entrance Hall of Hogwarts.

"Wow..."

"Blimey!"

"It's so beautiful!"

"I-I—" stuttered Marina, staring at the long corridor filled paintings with the people waving and smiling at the new students. A few students waved back, but Marina was too focused on the moving staircases farther down the hallway.

"Ahem!" a woman cleared her throat, hereby gaining the attention of the curious first years. Marina gave the tall woman in emerald robes her undivided attention, "My name is Professor McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress and Head of Gryffindor House."

James, Sirius, and Marina exchanged a hopeful look; the woman seemed stern, but in a motherly sort of way. They'd enjoy having her as their Head of House, they were sure.

"The start of term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses," McGonagall continued, "The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house common room."

Marina smiled at the prospect of lounging around her common room curled up in a comfy armchair with a good book and warm hot chocolate.

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours," McGonagall finished, giving the first years a reassuring nod, "Now, if you would follow me into the Great Hall, we will begin."

Suddenly, feelings of anxiety washed over the group of first years. Marina instinctively grabbed onto James' arm, and they both instantly felt better. The twins exchanged quick looks of reassurance and followed the group into the Great Hall. Immediately, they were met with inquisitive stares and hushed teasing. Marina didn't notice the students much as she took in the sight of the fully decorated Great Hall. The ceiling above the students, although they knew it was there, seemed to be nonexistent, showing the dark starry night outside. Under the sky, hundreds of candles floated above the four long tables which separated the students from each house.

When the group of first years reached the front of the large room, they were told to stop a certain distance from a small stool. James and Marina shared a knowing look, remembering their parents' stories about the Sorting Hat which would place them in their respective houses.

"What's that?" a short, round-faced boy asked, tentatively pointing at the ragged looking hat sitting atop the stool.

"The Sorting Hat," James answered quickly, proud that he had information that others didn't. "Didn't your parents tell you?"

The boy shook his head, "They wanted me to be surprised, but all it did was make me more nervous."

Marina smiled, "Don't worry, it's not too bad from what our parents told us."

"Y-You two are related?" the small boy stuttered, seemingly nervous to speak to the girl and looking between Marina and James.

"Twins," James smiled, throwing an arm around the girl's shoulder. Marina smiled and nodded at the boy, and Sirius bumped her shoulder before pointing at the front of the Hall again—the Sorting ceremony was starting.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," Professor McGonagall began, "Arlington, Priscilla!"

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails fell out of the line and rushed up to the stool, seemingly prepared to get this Sorting over with as soon as possible.

"RAVENCLAW!" the hat shouted.

The long table filled with blue and bronze colors cheered and clapped as Priscilla went to sit down at the Ravenclaw table, smiling contentedly.

"I swear, if I'm not in Gryffindor—" James cut himself off, shaking his head.

Marina couldn't help but feel the same kind of worry that she might not follow in her father's footsteps. The way Fleamont had described being in Gryffindor house was something of a dream, even though he tried to sprinkle in the idea that it really didn't matter which house the twins were placed in. The man, however, never did say a good thing about Slytherin house, so James and Marina did their own research. Slytherin had produced the highest number of dark wizards, along with the current nuisance to the Wizarding World: Voldemort. Whenever the girl heard his name, she felt the overwhelming urge to roll her eyes. Some people were really just the worst.

"Black, Sirius!" McGonagall called.

Marina felt the boy's presence leave her side. As Sirius sat down on the stool, he looked right at her, and she could tell how nervous he really was. The Great Hall seemed to go more quiet than before, except for a small section of the green and silver table that Marina assumed was Slytherin. The girl looked over and saw a white blonde-haired girl and a girl with curly black hair and menacing eyes watching Sirius with a smug expression. The brunette to their left, however, looked unsure about the Sorting, and Marina could only wonder why.

When Marina looked back to the stool, she sent Sirius a warm smile that she hoped was encouraging. She really hoped they were in the same house, and she knew that James was thinking the same.

The hat was lowered onto his head, but he didn't move his stare from the Potter twins—his first _real_ friends. He wasn't going to screw that up.

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat announced.

James and Marina were the loudest cheers in the hall. Sirius' anxious frown broke into a gleeful smile as he bounded down the steps to sit down at the red and gold table; he was the first Gryffindor of their class.

"Bones, Amelia!"

Marina watched as Amelia was sorted into Hufflepuff before turning to the Slytherin table out of curiosity. Marina turned back to look at the three older girls who seemed interested in Sirius' sorting. The blonde girl looked displeased, and the terrifying one looked positively furious, but the brunette was looking down at the table, a small smirk on her face. The brunette didn't seem upset at all about Sirius' sorting, in fact, she seemed proud.

"Claire, Anastasia!"

A short, dirty blonde-haired girl with calming eyes approached the stool. As she sat down, Anastasia took a deep breath in, looking around the hall. Marina noticed her nervousness and sent her a quick smile; she figured she'd want that if she was feeling nervous. Anastasia responded immediately, relaxing in the seat once she noticed the girl's smile.

"SLYTHERIN!" the hat called. Marina's eyes widened, and she felt her lips tilt into a frown. That girl seemed alright, but how could she be sorted into Slytherin? Unfortunately, Anastasia noticed Marina's shift in expression, and seemed put out by the result of her sorting. The small girl trudged over to the Slytherin table where she reluctantly sat down next to a boy named Mulciber.

"Evans, Lily!" McGonagall boomed.

The pretty, dark red-haired girl that James fancied confidently walked up to the stool. Marina smirked, despite Lily's probable dislike for them after what happened on the train, Marina respected her ability to remain calm and composed. It was quite obvious that Lily hadn't seen much magic before after hearing the numerous questions she asked on the boat ride over the Black Lake, but she was handling it with what seemed to be effortless grace.

The hat paused for only a second before shouting, "GRYFFINDOR!"

And Lily looked pleased with herself for a moment before looking over at her friend—Snivellus—whose mouth twisted into an ugly frown. The girl sat down at the Gryffindor table next to Sirius, but turned her back on the boy once she recognized him from the train.

A couple more names cycled through, none of them Gryffindors, but Marina wasn't really listening. She was imagining the worst case scenario for her own sorting where she ended up in Slytherin and best friends with Snivellus. She shivered at the thought.

"Lupin, Remus!"

A lanky boy slowly moved forward, allowing McGonagall to place the hat on his head. It took about thirty seconds, and Marina could hear 'Ravenclaw' and 'Gryffindor' said multiple times throughout Remus' sorting.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Marina clapped with the rest of her class, but internally, she was hyperventilating. With the next couple names, they had finally reached letter 'P.'

"Pettigrew, Peter!" called McGonagall.

The mousy, round-faced boy that the Potter twins spoke to about the Sorting Hat scampered up to the stool, biting his nails. Marina tried not to snort; this boy was about as Hufflepuff as it gets.

The hat surprised her by yelling, "GRYFFINDOR!" after approximately a minute and a half.

"Potter, James!"

James' breath hitched as his legs moved forward of their own accord. Marina squeezed his hand as he left her standing in the crowd of first years to be sorted.

"Alright, James!" called Sirius from the Gryffindor table, interrupting the silence of the Great Hall by cupping his hands around his mouth to yell in support of his new friend. Marina smiled at the sight, and the boy sent a wink in her direction.

James smirked, his confidence returning as the hat was placed on his head. There was no doubt in his mind where he was going to go.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Marina clapped the loudest, looking over at Sirius who was howling like a wolf from the table. James laughed in delight and ran to the Gryffindor table where the two boys greeted each other with a high-five and a slap on the back.

"Potter, Marina!"

All color faded from Marina's face; how could she have forgotten that she was next? The two boys had distracted her.

"Let's go, 'Rina!" James and Sirius chorused together, causing one Gryffindor prefect to shush them. The two boys only laughed, but Marina didn't feel as encouraged as she thought she would.

The girl pulled herself toward the stool, looking at McGonagall for any sense of comfort. The woman gave her an approving nod before she placed the hat on Marina's head and the fabric covered her eyes.

" _Hmmm, interesting. Another Potter child, I see,_ " the hat said quietly. " _Although you two are twins, I see that you are very different, though also quite the same._ "

Marina didn't dare speak. She had no idea what that meant.

" _Very loyal, I see you'd die for your brother if given the chance, but I also see you're very clever_ ," the hat debated. " _You'd do well in Ravenclaw_."

Marina felt her heart skip a beat.

" _You have the capacity to be very powerful, Miss Potter,_ " it continued, " _Very shrewd, and a good leader, I see. Slytherin could suit you well._ "

Marina's eyes widened, and she was beginning to panic. She spoke very clearly in her mind, " _What about Gryffindor?_ "

" _Ah yes, you are a brave soul, very intuitive and have a tendency to speak your mind without issue_ ," the hat agreed. " _This is quite the decision._ "

" _What if I told you I wanted to be in Gryffindor?_ " Marina asked, slightly nervous if the hat would somehow explode if she suggested such a thing.

" _That would be quite alright_ ," hat replied simply, " _I can't very well feel good about placing a student in a house where they'd not enjoy their time. It's a Gryffindor trait to ask such a thing, and I believe you'll do very well there._ "

" _Thank you_ ," Marina felt her lips tilt into a smile.

" _Well, then_ ," the hat decided. "GRYFFINDOR!"

The hat was removed from her head instantaneously, and Marina's face broke into the biggest smile. She ran into her brother's open arms, giving him a bone-crushing hug before repeating the act with Sirius a moment later. She had done it! Marina tried not to think too hard about the fact that she had almost been sorted into Slytherin, not to mention Ravenclaw, home of the weird know-it-alls. She shivered at the thought.

"We did it!" James exclaimed, "We actually did it!"

"Yeah, we did!" Marina repeated, unable to remove the smile from her face, not that she wanted to.

"Snape, Severus!"

The girl finally sat down across from Lily Evans, who was staring nervously at the stool. Marina looked back over to the sorting to see the greasy-haired boy from the train—Severus, or Snivellus, as Sirius called him—walking toward it.

"Worried your boyfriend won't make it to the same house as you?" James teased the girl, who sent him a sharp look.

"James, shove off," Marina rolled her eyes, knocking him in the arm. Now that both Lily and Marina were in Gryffindor, they would have to share a room, and Marina wasn't keen on starting the year off by having Lily dislike her. "Sorry about that. It's Lily, right?"

The redhead bobbed her head up and down, a small smile replacing the annoyed look she had before, "Yeah, and you're Marina? His sister?"

"That's right," she nodded proudly.

"Sorry about that," Lily sent a smirk at James, and Marina laughed.

"He's not that bad _all_ the time," Marina waved it off.

"You know I'm sitting right here!" James exclaimed.

The two girls locked eyes and burst into a fit of giggles. Sirius and James exchanged looks of incredulity.

"Girls," Sirius shook his head, "I'll never understand them."

"SLYTHERIN!" the hat's bellowing interrupted their conversation.

Lily's head whipped back to the Sorting where she watched as Severus sat down at the Slytherin table, not even glancing in her direction. Lily had been prepared to send him a sad smile in the hopes to encourage him, but Severus ignored her presence altogether as he stalked to the green and silver table. She felt kind of guilty for laughing with Marina instead of watching him get sorted, but not guilty enough to spend much time thinking about it.

✱✱✱✱✱

The food had filled the table after Dumbledore's welcome speech that the four had listened to every word of, and after the first lunge for food, the table began to quiet down again.

"So, you're Muggleborn, right?" Marina started another conversation.

Lily had been asked this question many times since her introduction to the world of magic, and most times she had been made fun of or looked down upon. The girl was slightly nervous to answer, but Marina seemed to understand.

"Oh, no, I'm not one of those prejudiced tossers who talks about blood purity or whatever," Marina waved her fork in the air as she took a bite of mashed potatoes.

Lily breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank God. And yes, I am. This all came as quite a shock to me!"

"Oh, I bet!" Marina smiled. She noticed Sirius' thoughtful frown from his place on the other side of Lily.

"But don't Mudbloods dilute the power of witches and wizards over time?" Sirius asked, a look of honest confusion on his face. Marina dropped her fork in shock.

"Woah, man," James' eyes widened. "You can't say that, that's a horrible thing to call someone!"

Luckily, Lily didn't look too offended, simply confused, "What does that mean? Mudblood?"

"Don't say it too loud!" Marina hushed her, looking around. "It's a terribly derogatory term used against Muggleborns. It's very offensive."

"Oh," Lily's eyes widened, looking awkwardly over at Sirius, who looked embarrassed and guilty, but mostly just confused.

"Sirius, where did you come to think that?" Marina asked. "Surely, you didn't come up with that yourself."

"Marina, he's a Black," James whispered, but Sirius caught the exchange.

"My parents," Sirius nodded. "They're horrible, and ingrained that idea in my brain ever since I was born. I guess I never really stopped to think that it could be complete bollocks until I met people besides Mulciber and Nott."

"Whom?" Marina asked, confused.

Sirius simply pointed at two boys sitting beside Snivellus and an annoyed Anastasia. They looked quite horrible, even from a distance.

"I haven't spoken to a single muggle in my life, unless you count one boy I tried to play with at the park down the block from my house," Sirius frowned deeply, "When my parents found out, they locked me in my room without dinner."

Marina's eyes widened, "That's—"

"Horrible," James spat, getting angry on behalf of his friend. Lily didn't speak, eyes wide.

Sirius shrugged, cracking a small smile, "That wasn't so bad. At least then I didn't have to see them."

Marina grinned on behalf of the boy, "Right, that."

"I guess there's a lot I don't know about the Wizarding World, even though I've been living in it my whole life," Sirius shrugged, grabbing a pasty from the middle of the table.

Lily's mouth twitched at the end, but she said nothing, instead turning to start a conversation with the blonde McKinnon girl sitting to her right and the fair-skinned brunette across the table she believed was named Mary.

Marina smiled in satisfaction. The year was starting off just as she'd hoped.


	2. The Incident

ONE YEAR PREVIOUSLY

Marina was one of the last ones out of the Great Hall where she had just finished taking her Defense Against the Dark Arts written test. Marlene gave the girl a wave from her spot leaning against the wall opposite the door; she had obviously been waiting for her.

"Hey, sorry I left without you, I thought you already made it out of there," the girl smiled.

"I barely made it out of there alive," Marina groaned. "I just know I missed at least half of those questions."

She knew she was being dramatic, but it was still rather difficult. Luckily, she knew she got a few correct based on her personal, first-hand knowledge about werewolves. Marina found out that Remus Lupin was a werewolf when James and the others did. In fact, she was the one who helped piece that together. The two had been confused about Remus' monthly disappearances, and simply wanted to make sure he was alright. With a little help from Sirius, the two researched the boy's symptoms in order to figure out why he was constantly ill. Turned out, it was lycanthropy. The four stood by him (although Peter took some convincing) and their friendship never wavered.

"Oh, hush up, you," Marlene rolled her eyes, "You get nearly all O's in that class."

"Nearly!" Marina protested. Marlene simply scoffed and tossed a perfectly curled piece of blonde hair over her shoulder.

If there was one thing everyone knew about Marlene McKinnon, it was that she was considered a bombshell. The girl had long, tanned legs paired with flowing blonde hair. She was gorgeous, and everyone knew it, even her. Marina used to compare her own appearance to the blonde's when they first arrived at Hogwarts, but she came to learn that it was pointless. Marlene just invoked that kind of insecurity in others by simply being herself. To the girl's credit, that wasn't the reason why Marina considered her to be her best friend.

Marlene was the first girl (besides Lily) that she spoke to at Hogwarts. Marina had a knack for becoming friends with boys because of her brother, so it was quite a change for her to spend a lot of time with Marlene. As it turned out, Marina didn't know a lot about hair-drying charms, hair-curling charms, or any other kind of beautification magic that could be found in a Witch Weekly magazine. Before she came to Hogwarts, Marina was quite "uneducated," as Marlene had politely put it. The blonde helped her out, and the two bonded immediately, becoming as inseparable as two teenage girls could be.

"Where's your brother?" Marlene asked, looking around and smirking, "He looked hot today, you know—"

"Gross," Marina interrupted, shaking her head, "I told you, if you wanna talk about my brother, find someone else!"

In the time since they had arrived at Hogwarts, James had become somewhat popular, along with his other three friends and roommates: Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew. The four were known as "the Marauders" by most of the school. The name began as something Marina called them as a joke in their third year, and the boys constantly teased Marina for giving them their iconic nickname. The four were inseparable, and Marina loved them all like they were her own brothers, too. Although Marina was James' sister, she didn't get nearly the amount of attention that he did, but she guessed it was because she didn't go looking for it like he did.

Marlene scoffed, "Yeah? Who? Certainly not Lily!"

Marina had to laugh at that. Ever since that first day meeting Lily, James had not left her alone. Every day, the boy would nag her relentlessly, teasing her about every single thing. It wasn't until last year that his teasing shifted into asking her to accompany him to Hogsmeade or to a study date in the Library or a walk around grounds—basically, whatever he so desired at the time. The redhead seriously disliked him for that, but Marina didn't think Lily would go as far as to say she hated him.

After that first night's feast, Marina and Lily got along as roommates would, but James certainly created a rift between the two girls. Marina and James came as a set, literally, and until third year, she and the other Marauders were practically inseparable. That simply meant that where James went, Marina did too, and where Marina was, James and his friends were likely close behind. As kids would, they'd get into trouble, most frequently with the boy who made a rude comment about them on the train to Hogwarts that first year: Severus Snape, who also happened to be Lily's best friend.

Marina, though now she didn't approve of most of the things her brother did, would always defend him no matter what. Marina knew James would do the same for her, and though she had tried to talk some sense into him, there would always be trouble down the road for the boy. Lily didn't agree with Marina for obvious reasons, and more than enough times, both girls went to bed seething from an argument that could've woken the whole house.

"I just wish my brother would leave her alone, so I wouldn't have to keep defending him," Marina voiced her thoughts, frowning.

Marlene shrugged, "Or you could just stop defending him?"

Marina shook her head, repeating the answer she gave every time, "Family is family."

And, she meant it.

The two girls reached the door leading to the castle grounds, and Marina sighed deeply, inhaling a breath of fresh air.

"Just what I needed after that dreadful test," Marlene sighed happily. A few boys watched Marlene as they walked back into the castle, but the girl either didn't notice, or pretended not to.

"Where  _ is _ my brother?" Marina frowned, repeating Marlene's question to herself.

After a moment of walking and searching the grounds, she saw a group of four lounging underneath a tree. A familiar Golden Snitch hovered in the air, and a pale hand belonging to a messy haired boy snatched it before it could get too far away. Marina scoffed and shook her head, taking off toward the boy and his friends.

"Uh oh," a smug voice spoke up, smirking as Marina approached, "James, mate, you've got incoming."

James' eyes widened, and he scrambled to his feet. Sirius, who gave him the warning, slowly stood up, shoving his hands into his pockets as though he couldn't be more relaxed. The girl's presence put him on edge, but not in the same way it did James.

Remus Lupin, a quiet boy except to his friends, simply set his book down to watch. Peter Pettigrew, on the other hand, stood up rather quickly to be included with the other two boys. Marina didn't bother looking at anyone besides her brother, though it was killing her to look slightly to the right where Sirius' stare was burning a hole in the side of her head, and the girl crossed her arms.

"How many times have I told you not to take my Snitch?" Marina raised an eyebrow, holding a hand out. Marlene stood behind the girl as backup, looking just as amused as Sirius.

"Sorry 'Rina," James smiled, not as threatened by his sister as he was when she first arrived. He obeyed, placing the Snitch in her hand.

Sirius smirked cheekily, creating a double meaning behind the seemingly innocent words, "Can  _ I _ take your Snitch?"

This wasn't uncommon; Flirting with his best friend's sister became something of a pastime for Sirius since his time at Hogwarts began. When he first started out, she acknowledged his flirtatious tendencies with nothing more than a red face and an indignant squeak. As they grew older, her response progressed to the classic scoff and "Shove off, Sirius!" that she learned from none other than Lily Evans.

It was only very recently, however, that she had begun to flirt  _ back _ .

Marina took a step closer, a matching smirk on her face, "Only if you can catch it."

This year, Marina had learned that the boy seemed to lose some of his smugness when she sent his suggestive words back at him instead of instructing him where he could stick his wand. Besides, it was quite satisfying to see his mouth change from his signature smirk into a genuine smile at her words.

The girl's smirk turned into a triumphant smile as Sirius remained speechless after taking a quick glance at James, who didn't seem to be listening. The boy was too busy staring past his sister at a certain redhead relaxing by the lake.

"C'mon, Mar," Marlene tugged on the girl's sleeve, pointing at the group of girls that James' gaze was currently fixed on.

Marina nodded and followed the girl away from her brother and his group of friends, sending a wink over her shoulder and laughing about it to her best friend. Sirius' eyes softened at the sight, but he shook his head in an attempt to get rid of the thought.

Remus snorted, seeing the looks on James' and Sirius' faces as they stared after the girls by the lake.

"Got something to say, Moony?" James asked, plopping back down on the ground.

"I've always got something to say," Remus shrugged.

"I think he meant to ask why you felt the need to make a sound resembling that of a pig," Sirius quipped, leaning back against the tree. His eyes never left the figure of a short brunette girl farther down the grounds.

"No reason," Remus watched Sirius for a moment before looking once at James, who had now moved on from their conversation.

"I'm bored," the boy announced.

"Me too!" Peter immediately agreed.

"This'll liven you up, Prongs," said Sirius. "Look who it is."

"Excellent," James smirked, seeing the greasy-haired boy cross the Grounds a distance away. " _ Snivellus _ ."

James and Sirius then stood up again while Remus and Peter remained sitting. Remus was still reading his book, though his eyes were no longer moving, and a faint frown seemed to appear on his face. Peter looked on with anticipation.

Marlene's eyes widened as she saw two boys approach Severus Snape, knowing exactly who would be the ones causing trouble. The blonde tapped her friend on the shoulder, and Marina looked up to see her brother pointing his wand at Snivellus.

"I literally just sat down," Marina pouted.

"All right, Snivellus?" said James loudly. Snape reacted quickly, but not quick enough before James shouted, " _ Expelliarmus _ !"

Marina groaned, "Lily's gonna kill me for this later."

Marlene sighed, "At least it's not her they're bothering, and at least she hasn't noticed yet."

Lily was still chatting avidly with Dorcas and Mary, both of who were Marina's roommates as well. The three girls sat a little distance away, as they simply tolerated Marina most of the time, and, Marina guessed, this was not one of those times. Luckily Marlene stood by her, even though she also managed to be good friends with everyone else in their dorm. Marina didn't really understand why she was the one left out, but she figured it was her fault somehow.

"I should probably go over there, right?" Marina watched her brother, annoyed.

"I'm not going near the greasy git," Marlene scoffed, "I don't go within twenty feet of people who don't wash their hair on a regular basis."

Marina frowned, tilting her head to the side, "Is it bad that I kind of want Snivellus to be humiliated at the hands of my brother?"

Marlene shrugged again, "A little."

" _ Impedimenta _ !" Sirius cast a spell this time, Marina sighed, knowing she should intervene though she really didn't want to. Sirius was great at hexes, and it was enthralling to watch.

Several people had now begun to crowd around them, watching their every move. James and Sirius advanced on the fallen boy, and as Marina got closer, she carefully picked up Snivellus' discarded wand. By now, Peter had stood up, and was watching the three boys hungrily, obviously hoping for more excitement.

"How'd the exam go, Snivelly?" said James. Marina sighed; she couldn't believe the name stuck since that first day on the train.

"I was watching him, his nose was touching the parchment," said Sirius viciously. "There'll be great grease marks all over it, they won't be able to read a word."

"Sirius," Marina warned, albeit weakly, making her presence known. She tugged on his arm, trying to distract him. "Come on, let's go somewhere else."

Sirius cracked a smile, "Now who wants the Snitch?"

She gave him a look, but her pink cheeks betrayed her.

"You—wait," Snape panted, "you—wait!"

"Wait for what?" Marina snapped, turning on him in her irritation. "What're you going to do, Snivellus, wipe your nose on them?"

Sirius smirked at Snape, seemingly proud of the insult Marina threw at him. James looked over at the two as Snape let out a stream of curse words directed at his sister.

"Oh, wash out your mouth!" James scolded. " _ Scourgify _ !"

Pink soap bubbles streamed from Snape's mouth at once, gagging him.

"Leave him  _ alone _ !"

James and Sirius looked around for the source of the voice, and Marina's amused expression immediately vanished. James' free hand went to his hair.

"All right, Evans?" said James, the tone of his voice suddenly more mature.

"Leave him alone," Lily repeated, looking at him in distaste, and disappointment. "What's he done to you?"

"Well," said James, "It's more the fact he exists, if you know what I mean..."

Many of the surrounding people laughed, including Sirius and excluding Remus and Marina, who winced at her brother's words.

"You think you're funny," she began, shaking her head, "but you're just an arrogant, bullying toerag, Potter. Leave him  _ alone _ ."

"I will if you go out with me, Evans," said James quickly. "Go out with me, and I'll never lay a wand on old Snivelly again."

Marina sighed loudly, and Sirius looked around at her, a look of exasperation on his face that she knew matched hers. Behind them, the Impediment Jinx began to wear off, and Snape started to inch his way towards his fallen wand, dropped by Marina when Lily arrived.

"I wouldn't go out with you if it were a choice between you and the giant squid," Lily spat without as much fervor as she would have hoped.

"Bad luck, Prongs," Sirius clapped him on the back.

"And honestly, Marina?" Lily glared. The brunette fidgeted under the girl's stare as she continued, "I can't say I'm surprised to see you helping them. What? Two versus one weren't good enough odds?"

Marina opened her mouth to defend herself, but she caught movement in her peripheral vision; Snape was aiming his wand.

" _ Oi _ !" Sirius warned, moving toward Marina in an attempt to shield her from whatever spell the Slytherin conjured.

A flash of light blinded them, and a gash appeared on the side of James' face, splattering his robes with blood. James whirled around, another flash of light, and Snape was hanging upside-down in the air, his robes falling over his head to show a pair of greying underpants.

The crowd of people erupted into laughter, and even Marina let out a laugh, covering her mouth with her hand. Remus, however, still did not. Neither did Lily, though her mouth twitched slightly for a second, as though to hide a smile.

"Let him down!" she ordered, glaring at James.

"Certainly," said James as he jerked his wand upwards; Snape fell into a heap on the ground.

"You're lucky Evans was here, Snivellus—"

"I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!" Snape seethed, hatred in his voice.

Lily blinked. The other three Gryffindors stood in shock, jaws dropped.

"Fine," Lily replied coolly, "I won't bother in the future. Oh, and I'd wash your pants if I were you,  _ Snivellus _ ."

Marina's eyes widened as she looked over Lily Evans. Despite her best friend calling her a horrible, derogatory term in front of their entire class, she kept face. Marina couldn't help but be slightly impressed, but she mostly just felt guilty.

"Apologize to Evans!" James roared at Snape, pointing his want back at him.

" _ Potter _ !" Lily yelled. "You're just as bad as he is."

"I'd never call you a—" James was interrupted.

"What you're doing right now is just the same," Lily said softly, and turned on her heel, leaving the rest of the group to their mess.

Marlene moved to stand by Marina for a moment before looking up where Lily had run off to. Marina knew that Lily and Marlene were close, so she understood when the blonde took off after the Muggleborn girl. The brunette wondered if there was anything she could possibly do to help Lily, but she probably would just rather not see Marina at all for as long as possible, so she didn't bother.

A hand rested on Marina's shoulder, "Er, is your friend gonna be alright?"

The girl turned to face Sirius, "I'm not sure she'd consider me her friend, but Marlene is with her. She'll be fine."

"Right," Sirius nodded, "Good."

Marina watched her brother sit down against the tree alongside Remus and Peter. She frowned, turning back to Sirius.

"Does it make me a horrible person that I wanted to see Snivellus hang upside down in the air?" Marina wondered, restating the same question she asked Marlene, honestly wondering.

Sirius shrugged, "Does it make me a horrible person that I found it super hot when you insulted Snivellus in front of the entire class?"

Marina remained unimpressed, but she appreciated the feeble attempt to cheer her up, "Yes."

Sirius grinned cheekily, "I'm never gonna stop, you know."

The ambiguity of the sentence confused her, "What?"

"The Snitch," Sirius began backing away toward the tree where their friends were waiting, "I'm gonna catch it."

Satisfied, he turned around, leaving the girl with her cheeks tinted a bright shade of pink for the second time that day.


	3. The Orphan

A banging noise interrupted Marina's peaceful sleep. She'd always been a light sleeper, while her brother was quite the opposite. She'd be awake with a simple knock on her door or the sound of footsteps in the hallway. Marina was used to waking up at random points during the night, but this time felt different, though she didn't quite know why.

Against her better judgement, she stepped out of her bed and cracked open her bedroom door. The sound of footsteps, though quiet, filled her ears. Marina's eyes widened, and she tiptoed quickly back to her bedside table for her wand. She pulled a jumper over her head and put her hair up and out of her face before venturing out past the safety of her bedroom. Her Gryffindor curiosity was getting the better of her, but she didn't much care.

When Marina heard the sad sound of staggered breaths and small whimpers, her wand arm faltered slightly. This wasn't anyone in her family, she was sure of it. The girl approached the end of the hallway leading to the parlor and slowly peeked her head around the corner to see none other than Sirius Black sitting on her couch with his head in his hands.

Immediately, she lowered her wand, staring with wide eyes at the boy in front of her.

"Sirius?" she whispered, her voice filling the empty room.

His head whipped toward the sound of her voice, and he stumbled to his feet, "Mar—I—"

"Are you okay?" Marina moved closer as she was barely able to see him in the darkness. She didn't know exactly what time it was, but she knew it had to have been sometime in the middle of the night. "What are you doing here?"

"I didn't want to bother you, I swear, but—" his voice broke, and the girl's eyes widened. She wasn't sure she'd ever seen him like this. "I left. I finally got out of there. I have my t-trunk, and—Merlin, this isn't what I wanted to do—"

"Sirius, breathe," Marina told him, guiding him back to the couch. She knew this boy very well, almost as well as James did, and despite hating living with his family, Marina knew Sirius hated leaving just as much.

"I can't believe I left Reg with them," Sirius shook his head. "What am I going to do?"

Marina furrowed her eyebrows, "Well, you'll stay here of course. You know we have enough rooms to host the entire dorm, and my parents love you."

Sirius nodded, and he finally lifted his head to look at her. She had always been a light sleeper; he should have known that she would be the one to find him when he arrived despite his hoping for James. He didn't want Marina to see him like this: finally reaching his breaking point with his family. The amount of times that Sirius had comforted her in the midst of breakups, fights with James, Marlene, or even Lily was inordinate, but Sirius made sure to put on a brave face for the girl whenever his world was turning the wrong way.

"Thank you," Sirius replied honestly. Simply by talking to her, he could feel so much better. She always seemed to have that effect on him.

Marina smiled softly, "No problem. Besides, I know James told you that our house is always open for you."

Sirius smirked, unable to help himself, "Does that offer extend to your bed as well?"

Marina laughed, a soft sound that seemed to tinkle like a bell in the midst of the silent, sleeping house. Sirius smiled to himself. He loved her laugh.

"Well, as of right now," Marina replied, surprising him, "Yeah."

"W-What?" Sirius' eyes widened. Marina couldn't help but crack a smile at the sight.

"None of the other beds are ready," she shrugged. "You could sleep on a bed with no blankets or pillows or in my bed. It's your choice."

Sirius blinked. He wondered if she knew how much he would give to accompany her to bed, but something inside him twisted. Could he do that knowing that his best friend was in the next room, sleeping and completely unaware that he was there?

"I could just take the couch here," Sirius gestured to where they were sitting.

Marina raised an eyebrow, "Sirius, I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm literally shivering, and it's not because of how handsome you are—"

Sirius' signature smirk was back, "You think I'm handsome?"

"—it's because it is two degrees above freezing down here. Do as you please, but I know how you are when you get cold," Marina pushed herself up from the couch and held a hand out for him.

Sirius looked down at his trunk, pretending to think, "Alright, Potter, you've convinced me."

"Never thought it would take that much persuading to get you upstairs," the girl smirked, knowing from the silence that followed that she hit the nail on the head—it didn't take much at all. "You can leave your things down here. We're getting up in a few hours to go to the platform anyway."

Sirius' eyes widened, he completely forgot that the start of term was tomorrow.

"You didn't forget anything, did you?" Marina asked quietly, opening the door to her bedroom. She frowned, looking uneasy, "I'm not sure if we can go back if you did."

"I took all I needed, even my broomstick," Sirius told her. It wasn't until after that he noticed that she'd said "we."

Marina smiled, "Well of course, we'd be lost without our star beater."

"Says the one who catches the Snitch in every game," Sirius scoffed. "Seriously, when was the last time you lost it to someone else?"

Marina frowned, her eyes narrowing, "Priscilla Arlington, two years ago. I hate her. Isn't she the most pretentious—"

"I didn't mind her much until we hooked up at the Christmas party last year," Sirius shrugged. "Weren't you two Potions partners during first term last year? I could've sworn I saw you two chatting up a storm before Halloween..."

Marina didn't answer. She didn't want to tell him the reason why she took a disliking to the girl was because she watched Sirius stick his tongue down her throat for no less than seventeen minutes at the Christmas party.

"Well, she's not doing much Snitch-catching now," Marina smirked, crawling into her bed and pulling the covers to her chin. Suddenly, her eyes sparkled with mischief, "Speaking of Snitch-catching—"

Sirius' eyes widened and he took three steps back from her bed, "Mar—"

"Relax, I'm kidding. Besides, that was a while ago," Marina closed her eyes and turned onto her side, "I knew you were kidding, anyway."

 _I wasn't kidding_ , he wanted to say, but he bit his tongue. The boy laid down on top of the full-sized bed, no different than the ones at Hogwarts, and laid still.

Marina turned onto her side, "Tell me you aren't going to lay like that."

Sirius looked at her, "What now?"

The girl sighed, shaking her head. Instead of replying, she simply pushed him out of bed and lifted the covers so he would get under them instead of laying on top and restricting their movements.

"Right, sorry," he realized, clearing his throat. After a moment, Sirius realized she was staring at him. "What?"

"Why are you being so weird?" she raised an eyebrow. Marina had never seen him so... rigid. Sirius Black was the epitome of ease, not to mention, charm. This person didn't resemble the boy she knew, and it would be almost humorous if it weren't so discouraging.

Sirius sighed, getting over himself and the situation he was in. Despite everything he knew he felt for her, Marina was one of his best friends. He turned on his side to face her, slipping back into the routine of pretending he wasn't head over heels for her, and the girl smiled.

"I'm just adjusting to my new life as an orphan," Sirius replied dramatically.

Marina giggled before replying, "Well don't, because you have a family right here. James and I will not let you go live in the streets, not to mention my parents. In the morning, we'll go to Hogwarts, and everything will be just perfect."

Maybe it was exhaustion, or maybe it was purely instinct, but Sirius reached forward and moved a piece of hair that came loose from her messy bun out of her hazel eyes. Marina didn't pull away, instead leaning toward his touch. It was dark in the room, she wasn't even sure why he did what he did, but the warmth from the gesture overshadowed any odd thoughts that sprang to her mind's surface.

"Thanks," she whispered.

"No problem," Sirius replied softly.

Marina's eyes caught the clock on her nightstand, reading approximately a quarter past three, "We should get some sleep, we have a big day tomorrow."

Sirius nodded, but he didn't move from his position even when she turned to face the other way. Marina could feel his eyes burning through her back, but she didn't turn around.

 _How did you end up here, Sirius?_ the boy asked himself, scoffing internally. He pulled the covers up to his chest and turned to lay on his back, facing the ceiling.

"Goodnight, Sirius," Marina's soft voice echoed through the room.

The boy waited a moment to respond, wondering if Marina could hear his overactive heartbeat.

"Goodnight, Marina," he replied.

Sirius knew James would kill him in the morning when he found out what he spent his night doing, but in that moment, he really didn't care.

✱✱✱✱✱

Marina awoke to the sound of quiet breathing in her left ear and an arm draped across her torso. Sirius Black was in her bed, and she wasn't incredibly keen on waking up. In fact, she felt quite content laying there for another four hours, asleep or not, but the sound of knocking on her door killed that dream before it even had the chance to begin.

The knocking woke the boy in her bed with a start, and his exhausted eyes were enough to make Marina want to curse whoever woke him up.

"Marina, honey," Euphemia Potter spoke. "Breakfast is ready! We have an hour before we need to be at King's Cross. Also, whose trunk is in the parlor?"

"I'll be down in a minute!" she replied, dodging the question about the trunk.

"Alright, just hurry up!" Marina's mother allowed, and the two teens heard footsteps departing.

Marina turned to look at Sirius, who was looking at her with a frantic expression. She almost laughed.

"I didn't think this far into my plan from last night," Marina admitted, "I was just tired and wanted to go to sleep."

"And what? Did you think I would just come up with some plan to get myself out of your room without your family noticing?" Sirius crossed his arms.

Marina thought for a moment, "Yeah, pretty much."

Sirius ran a hand through his hair as though to comb it, "You're lucky you're pretty."

"Aw, thanks," Marina smirked.

"Oh, no, I was talking to myself," Sirius replied, pointing at the mirror on Marina's dresser. The girl let out a laugh and shook her head, turning to her closet.

Marina opened the door and began to search through her closet for any last minute items she might've forgotten to pack. Her Hogwarts trunk was sitting in the corner of her room, fully packed. When she was satisfied that she hadn't forgotten anything, she turned back to Sirius, who was looking around her room.

"See anything particularly interesting?" she asked, amused.

Sirius stopped in front of her wall of moving photographs. He was staring at one in particular taken on a cloudy fall day, both Sirius and Marina's favorite kind of weather. The girl had surprised him, throwing her arms around Sirius from behind him and laughing while James took the photo. The two looked so happy, and Sirius immediately felt nostalgic.

"That's one of my favorites," Marina said, suddenly standing next to him. "We look so carefree. That was definitely before we took our O.W.Ls."

Sirius chuckled, "You were always good at tests."

"I got three O's on my O.W.Ls," Marina agreed. "But I know you and James did better. You two seem to succeed at everything without even trying."

Sirius' eyes widened, noticing the slightly bitter tone to her voice, "Sorry?"

Marina smiled, "It's nothing to be sorry about, you tosser. I've just always had to try a bit harder than James, you know. Fitting in, getting good marks—it all seemed to come naturally to him."

"You're a better person than he is, than both of us," Sirius frowned in thought before replying. "We have to try harder to be good."

Marina's head turned toward him, "No, you don't—"

"How many times have we hexed Snivellus? How many times have you defended us to your friends? How many fights did you get in with Lily Evans because you were defending your brother?" Sirius raised an eyebrow, shaking his head, "You are a naturally better person than we are, Mar. We don't really deserve you looking out for us."

Marina frowned, staring up at the boy. She opened her mouth to reply when her door burst open, and the two jumped away from one another. Marina let go of Sirius' hand, though she wasn't even sure when she grabbed it, and turned to face the intruder.

" _Sirius_?" James' eyes widened in disbelief, "What are you doing here?"

"Uh—" the boy's eyes were wide, and he could feel the heat rising to his cheeks. James looked over at Marina's bed and back to Sirius' disheveled clothes.

"Sirius," James' eyes widened, "you didn't—"

"No, James, he didn't," Marina rolled her eyes, knowing where this was going. "He came here early this morning. Sirius escaped, er, left home."

James didn't look convinced, "That's your trunk downstairs, isn't it? I thought I recognized it, not to mention your broomstick—did you really leave them for good?"

Sirius nodded, a frown replacing his embarrassed look, "I'm finally free of those fuckers."

James' mouth stretched into a crooked grin, "Wicked. They don't deserve you. Welcome home, brother."

Marina smiled when James and Sirius hugged, clapping each other on the back as they laughed.

"Sorry 'Rina, but you're outnumbered now," James smirked. "How does it feel to have two brothers?"

Sirius choked on his words as Marina scoffed, shaking her head, "Sirius is not my brother."

"What do you mean?" James frowned, throwing an arm around her shoulders, "'Rina, I'm really glad that you're my sister—"

"Marina, I'm really glad you're _not_ my sister," Sirius interrupted, smirking at the girl. Marina simply laughed and shook her head.

"Sirius, that's kind of rude," James commented, crossing his arms.

"Not when you really think about it," Marina mumbled, shaking her head from the other side of the room as she searched for her wand.

"What?" her brother asked, still confused. "I don't get it."

"Come on, James, let's go eat some breakfast," Marina said, snatching her wand from the ground beside her bed, still laughing as she ushered her brother into the hallway.

Sirius went to follow, but stopped to take one last look at the picture of him and Marina. He looked, but the spot where the photo was previously hanging was now empty. His eyebrows furrowed in hurt and confusion, but then he caught sight of the girl's trunk in the corner of the room. On top if it sat the photo, placed there as a last minute item to be packed amongst the other things that made the Hogwarts checklist.

The boy had practically skipped out of the room down to breakfast with his new family.

✱✱✱✱✱

"I can't believe how cool your parents were that I stayed over in their daughter's bed last night," Sirius mused as he, Marina, and James sat down in their usual compartment on the Hogwarts Express. Remus and Peter had yet to arrive.

James scoffed, "Who said I was cool with it?"

Marina rolled her eyes, "James, we already told you nothing happened—"

"Yeah, right! You two are the biggest sluts I know, and I'm supposed to believe that you did nothing while sharing a bed?" James crossed his arms.

Marina and Sirius exchanged a look; it wasn't a secret that Sirius was considered a 'player' by the girls at Hogwarts, but Marina had kept a low-profile most of the time. The only people who seemed to know of her indiscretions were her roommates and the Marauders—not that she cared much. She hadn't taken an interest in boys much until Fabian Prewett, a sixth year while Marina was only a fourth year, had made a show of asking her to Hogsmeade in front of the Great Hall one morning at breakfast. James had been furious, and Sirius was none-too-pleased as well, but she had smiled politely and agreed. He was a good guy, but Marina knew she wasn't ready for anything serious, so their relationship fizzled out after a couple dates and trips to the Astronomy Tower. After that, boys seemed to think of Marina as a challenge. It wasn't a secret that James didn't enjoy the attention Marina received from members of the opposite sex, but that seemed to only motivate them further.

"James, don't slut shame, especially since we all know you've never gotten any," Marina leaned back in her seat. "The more you wait around for Lily Evans the more girls you miss out on."

Marina had been expecting the usual, "I don't care!" to come stubbornly from James' lips, but to her surprise, nothing came out. She picked her head up and saw a defeated look on James' face.

"I know," he finally said. "I've got to get over her, somehow."

Sirius and Marina exchanged a surprised look; they never thought this day would come.

"Good on you, mate," Sirius patted his shoulder, "You're too good for her anyway."

"No," James shook his head, "She's too good for me, I think that's the point."

Marina looked down at her hands, remembering what Sirius told her that morning. She didn't have time to object to James' statement before the compartment door opened, revealing Peter Pettigrew. The boy wore a bright smile at seeing his friends, and when his gaze landed on Marina, his cheeks flushed.

"Hey, guys," he greeted." H-Hi, Marina. Are you staying for the ride to Hogwarts?"

She nodded, "Marlene probably won't be able to convince Lily to let me sit with them after what happened at the end of term last year. Looks like you're stuck with me! Is that alright with you, Peter?"

Peter's cheeks flushed a darker color, and he nodded, "O-Of course!"

Sirius snorted, leaning back against the side of the compartment. He lifted his feet and put them in Marina's lap, who rolled her eyes but didn't move them. She grabbed one of her textbooks from her bag and began reading about this term's coursework.

"Where's Moony?" Sirius spoke up, obviously bored even though the train ride had just begun.

"Prefect carriage, remember?" Marina replied simply, not looking up from her book. "He'll probably escape later like he usually does."

"Right," Sirius nodded, staring at her. His eyebrows furrowed, "Are you reading a textbook again?"

James snorted, "She's done it ever since first year. She thinks it helps her get ahead."

Sirius scoffed, "Waste of time, I say."

"It could help, you know, with classes," Peter supplied, defending the girl.

Marina smiled at him, "See! Peter gets it."

The boy smiled, pleased with himself. Sirius shot Marina a look, and the other two boys proceeded to spend the rest of the train ride instructing her how to get O's with the least amount of effort.

✱✱✱✱✱

Marina flopped onto her bed, exhausted after her long day. The feast had been, as usual, delicious, and the girl had practically eaten her body weight in pumpkin pasties. The rest of her roommates had entered the room a couple minutes after her and were currently unpacking.

"Damn, someone's tired," Marlene smirked, folding one of her jumpers in her trunk and looking at Marina. "Did you get any sleep last night?"

"Of course not," Marina snorted. "How much sleep would you get sharing a bed with Sirius Black? All that boy does is toss and turn all night."

The noise of unpacking trunks ceased at her words. It seemed that everyone had simultaneously stopped moving.

" _What_?" Mary Macdonald screeched from the bed to Marina's right.

"Marina, what did you just say?" Dorcas followed-up, crossing her arms, shocked.

Marina went over her words in her head and winced, "Oh, it's not what you think—"

Lily made a disparaging noise, interrupting her.

"Is there something you'd like to add, Evans?" Marina raised an eyebrow.

Lily shrugged, "It's not really much use attempting to defend yourself to us. We know what you do."

"So, there's nothing I could possibly say that would make you think that nothing happened between me and Sirius," Marina replied simply. "Not even the truth?"

Marlene remained silent, afraid to come to Marina's defense, like always. Lily simply shrugged again in response, taking out her school bookbag from her trunk. Mary and Dorcas didn't disagree, but still remained in shock. Mary's face was slightly pinched in anger; it wasn't a secret that the girl had been crushing on Sirius since she first saw him—except maybe to him. Every time the short auburn-haired girl heard of another one of his conquests, she pouted for a day or two. Hearing of Marina and Sirius together wouldn't do much to build their friendship from what little was already there.

"Well, I guess I won't bother then, will I?" Marina shot back.

The Potter girl turned to look at Marlene, but the blonde had turned back to her bed and avoided her friend's stare.

After a moment, Marina scoffed and mumbled, "Good to be back."

Annoyed, Marina stood up from her bed and left her room. This happened every once in a while; Lily got frustrated with Marina and none of the other girls ever felt inclined to defend her, in fact, Marina was pretty sure they thought she deserved it. And, you know, maybe she did—but not tonight. As she reached the bottom of the stairs leading to the Common Room, someone stopped her from walking headfirst into them.

"Woah there," Remus Lupin smiled crookedly, "You should watch where you're going next time, Mar."

Marina immediately wiped the distressed look off of hers and returned the smile.

"Hey, Remus," she cleared her throat. "Where are you coming from?"

"I was just bringing some food back to the room after rounds at your brother's request," he smiled.

Marina saw the small assortment of sweets in his arms and smiled, "Yeah, sounds like him."

"Speaking of James," Remus turned to a whisper. "He seems to have been replaced by someone who is reasonable?"

Marina let out a tinkling laugh, "Has he? I haven't noticed."

"He hasn't spoken to Lily Evans once since he's arrived at Hogwarts," Remus informed her. "Do you think he's finally figured out that she doesn't want to go out with him?"

"It's about time," Marina scoffed, "He's way too good for her. It's a wonder I've survived my six years sharing a dorm with her."

Remus chuckled, "She's not that bad, you know, and don't think I haven't spent a significant amount of time during my prefect patrols defending you to her, too."

"You best have done a better job defending me," Marina replied glumly, sitting down in her favorite armchair, "I'm pretty sure everyone in my dorm hates me. Besides Marlene. Possibly."

Remus sighed, "There's no way anyone could hate you. I believe Lily could dislike you, but I don't think she's capable of hating you."

"Well, I just left that room because there was so much tension that I think I'll have to sleep right here in the Common Room," Marina sighed. "It's my first night back, and I really just wanted my bed. What did I do to deserve this torture this quickly?"

"You shared a bed with Sirius," Remus shrugged.

Marina's eyes widened and she sat up, "How do you know that?"

Remus rolled his eyes, "Like Sirius wouldn't tell me as soon as he could, same with James. I couldn't tell if James was happy that Sirius ran away from home or not because of that particular fact."

"He's happy," Marina confirmed, "He kept calling Sirius my 'brother.'"

Remus laughed loudly, shaking his head, "Oh, I can only imagine the look on his face!"

Marina sighed, "What I don't get is why that's so absurd to me. I've known Sirius for years; he was the first of anyone here I spoke to—anyone who has been friends that long would consider each other family. Why is it so odd to consider Sirius a part of my family?"

Marina stared down at her hands, suddenly very vulnerable. The constant flirty banter was the logical answer, but that was just something that resulted from Sirius' loud personality. It wasn't like he didn't flirt with other girls. In fact, it was quite the contrary. The two just enjoyed flirting. It was quite simple, really.

Remus seemed reluctant to answer, and he shot a look toward the stairs leading to the boy's dormitory. Sirius would never forgive him if he told her, so the werewolf kept his mouth shut.

"I don't know," Remus lied, "You should talk to Sirius about it, I know he likes to talk to you."

Marina smiled, "I like to talk to him, too."

Remus nodded, standing from his seat across from her, "You gonna go back up to bed?"

"Maybe later," Marina replied, the frown returning to her face.

Remus nodded again, turning towards the stairs to leave, "'Night, Marina."

"Goodnight, Remus," she replied before calling out after his retreating figure. "You're good to talk to as well, by the way!"

The boy chuckled, "Thanks, Mar."

His dormitory door closed, and the girl was left alone in the Common Room with her thoughts.

✱✱✱✱✱

"Moony, I'm just saying, if I had known she was down here, I would've—" Sirius cut himself off, reaching the bottom of the stairs. He was met with the sight of a small brunette girl curled up in an armchair in corner of the Gryffindor Common Room. Remus came to a stop behind the boy, a regretful expression on his face.

"She never went back up to her room," he frowned.

"Those wretched girls, I swear—" Sirius let out a stream of curse words that died from his lips as he approached the sleeping girl. "Marina?"

She stirred, immediately opening her eyes to see the two boys. Marina's eyes widened and she checked the clock on the wall of the Common Room.

"Six-thirty? What the hell are you guys doing up at six-thirty?" she asked, quizzically.

Sirius smirked, "You know I'm never one to sleep late. Breakfast is best before seven."

"You're a disgusting human being," the girl deadpanned.

Remus laughed and helped Sirius pull the girl to her feet, "You want to accompany us?"

Sirius looked at her hopefully, but she sighed, shaking her head, "I should change and grab my books before I go down there, but save me a spot?"

The two boys agreed and bid her farewell as Marina looked up at the stairs leading to the girl's dormitories. She frowned, but she was never one to back down from a challenge.

The girl opened the door to see only one person awake—Lily Evans, of course. The redhead really was the opposite of her in every way, Marina mused. Lily looked up from putting her textbooks in her bag, but returned to her task without saying a word. Marina rolled her eyes but remained silent; she didn't feel like starting a fight.

Lily watched as Marina entered the room, tossing her things lazily about as she found what she needed to start the day. The girl looked like she had a rough night's sleep, and Lily felt guilty, knowing she made her feel unwelcome in her own dorm. Watching the other Gryffindor girl get ready, she found herself wondering if this was how James Potter looked as he prepared himself for a day of classes. The more she watched Marina, the more she wondered.

Marina quickly changed into her school robes and grabbed her wand from underneath her pillow. Her books were already in her bag, and her favorite Golden Snitch was tucked into the outside pocket. She called it something of a good luck charm, though James regularly stole it to show off his fast reflexes. Marina simply found it comforting to see the little Snitch fly around before she caught it again. Quidditch always made her happy, and she was proud when she made the Gryffindor team in second year alongside her brother. Gryffindor's best Seeker had just graduated, and the team had been looking for a new one when Marina tried out. She had beaten two older boys (a fourth year and a fifth year) for the spot. James had made Chaser alongside two sixth years who have since graduated. The Potter twins were top news for a few weeks after their positions had been announced and Gryffindor played its first game. James had scored over sixty points and Marina caught the Snitch after only thirty minutes of playing. Hufflepuff stood no chance.

Marina smiled again, recalling the memory and the party in James' dorm room afterwards. Sirius gave her the biggest hug, and she remembered feeling touched by how proud he looked of her. The next day, every time she walked into a room, Sirius would announce: "Miss Marina Potter, the Queen of Snitch-Catching!" The girl had been mortified, but Sirius had simply laughed it off.

Marina shook her head to snap herself out of the memory; she was supposed to be meeting him and Remus downstairs for breakfast now, and she was taking a little too long. She ran a hand through her messy brown hair and looked up from her bag.

It took her a second to realize that Lily Evans had been staring at her.

"What?" she automatically asked, not bothering with being polite.

Lily shrugged, "You and Potter don't look as alike as twins usually do. Except your eyes."

Marina was confused; why was Lily talking about this?

"Okay?" was the only response Marina could think of that wouldn't be unnecessarily offensive.

"I don't know, I guess I've always been considering you two as very similar people, if not the same person," Lily admitted, pulling her bag over her shoulder. "I haven't put much thought into the idea that you might be more different from one another than I thought."

Marina scoffed, "Well, I can assure you, James and I are very different people."

Lily shrugged again, "Sometimes it doesn't seem like it. You both seem to like attention, in any way it comes. You both tease innocent people for no good reason. You both are pureblood—"

"That hasn't to do with anything," Marina interrupted, shaking her head, "And if you're talking about Snivellus—"

"—Severus—"

"—then you and I have very different definitions of what constitutes innocence," Marina finished, yanking her bag over her shoulder and storming from the room.

Marina wasn't sure why Lily Evans constantly angered her, but she didn't really feel like figuring it out.

Besides, she was hungry.

✱✱✱✱✱

Marina sat down at the Gryffindor table next to her brother. Apparently, all four boys had managed to get ready before her and make their way down to breakfast.

"Morning, 'Rina," her brother greeted, smiling through a mouthful of eggs.

"Keep your mouth closed when eating, James," Marina shook her head, smirking, "Good morning, though."

The brunette turned her head to the side to see Marlene enter the Great Hall, take a look at Marina, and bow her head before taking a seat next to Mary across from Lily and Dorcas.

"Well, I guess I'm stuck with you lot this year," Marina frowned, slightly hurt by Marlene's lack of effort to come to her defense the night before. Then again, Marina did put her in an awkward position; Mary, Dorcas, and Lily were Marlene's best friends, too, and it must be hard to navigate that when your other friend is constantly causing trouble that creates arguments between everyone.

"You all right?" Sirius asked, noticing Marina's lingering stare on the four girls at the other end of the table.

"Perfect," Marina plastered a smile on her face. "When do we get our schedules?"

"Looks like McGonagall's coming around now," Remus informed her. Marina nodded and turned back to the muffin on her plate.

James also seemed to have noticed his sister's lack of enthusiasm, "'Rina, you're one of us, you know. Just because I made sure none of the boys would tell you about the—" his voice dropped to a whisper, " _Animagus thing_ —doesn't mean you're any less of one of us."

"Oh, and we're back to this, are we?" Marina frowned. She remembered when she found out that the three boys were Animagi and were helping Remus on the full moon. Apparently, they didn't tell her because they wanted Marina to stay safe, which, in her opinion, wasn't their decision to make. The girl ignored them for weeks in third year when she had figured it out, though she was still impressed they had managed that serious bout of magic at thirteen and fourteen. That was the beginning of Marlene and Marina's bonding, when Marina needed a friend and the blonde was there for her. She still hated talking about it with the boys. A spark of anger and hurt always came up.

"Mar, we just wanted—" Sirius tried, but she interrupted.

"I don't want to argue about this again," Marina shook her head. "Remus is my best friend, too, and you know I would be helpful. Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I have to be protected."

"We know, it's just—" James tried again, but to no use. His sister sent him one of her dangerous looks, and he cut himself off. "Anyway, you're our best friend too, my best friend, obviously, so don't worry about those girls—you don't need them."

"Thanks, James," Marina took a bite of her muffin, but didn't look any happier.

"Mister Potter?" McGonagall announced, suddenly standing next to them, closest to James. "Your group's schedules."

The boy smiled, "Hey Minnie, how was your break?"

McGonagall tutted, but her eyes were amused, "It is Professor McGonagall to you, Mister Potter, and my summer holiday was fine, thank you."

Without another word, she moved on to the next students. James handed the schedules to the other four and looked down at his.

"Double Potions with the Slytherins, free hour—thank Merlin—then lunch and Charms with the Ravenclaws and Transfiguration then DADA with the Slytherins again," Sirius grimaced, looking at his first and last periods.

Marina lit up, "Same, well, except I have Ancient Runes instead of that free hour. Why did I take that class again?"

"Because you want to go into Magical Law," James reminded her, and his sister nodded.

"Right," Marina frowned. "Too bad it's a lot of work. Maybe I should just play Quidditch instead."

Remus sighed, staring at his schedule, "I have Potions with you lot, and Ancient Runes with Marina, but I have Transfiguration first with Charms after, then DADA. I'm sure I'm with the other half of our house, but I can't say I'm thrilled at the thought of being in that class with Mary Macdonald and her constant spell misfirings."

Marina laughed softly, "The amount of times she's set her bed curtains on fire is too high to count. Sorry, Rem."

James looked happy with his schedule, though, "I've got the same as Sirius. I can't imagine how the teachers allowed that."

Peter sighed, "Divination instead of my free hour, and Transfiguration with Charms after, like you Moony. Don't worry, I'll protect you from Mary Macdonald."

Marina and James burst out laughing, imagining Peter heroically standing in front of Remus as Mary cast accidental spell after accidental spell.

"Thanks, Pete," Remus smirked, rolling his eyes.

Marina looked up from her schedule, seeing the mostly empty tables, "We should get going."

"Merlin, I hope Slughorn doesn't assign Potions partners again," Sirius commented, standing up, "I can't believe he put one Slytherin and one Gryffindor together last year. It's like he was trying to start a fight."

Marina frowned as the group exited the Great Hall and set off toward the Dungeons for their first class.

"As long as I'm not partnered with Mulciber, Avery, or Snivellus, I'm quite alright," James replied. "Not all of them are too bad."

Sirius mumbled in disagreement, but he dropped the conversation as they approached the long hallway leading to the classroom.

"Man, I hate it down here," Peter commented, frowning.

"Me too," Marina agreed, prompting a smile from the small boy. "I could have never been a Slytherin."

The five turned the corner at the end of the hallway and saw Lily Evans standing in front of the Potions classroom with three Slytherins blocking her path. Mulciber and Avery wore matching scowls and were barking insults at her as she attempted to move past them. Snivellus stood slightly off to the side, not saying a word and avoiding Lily's eyes.

"Pathetic," Marina murmured, and the five moved forward toward the classroom.

"Well, if it isn't the attention-seeking blood traitors!" Mulciber smirked upon seeing them arrive, "And Marina, if I may say, you look absolutely—"

"If you finish that sentence I will cut out your tongue and feed it to Avery," Sirius spat, glaring at the boy. Lily watched in anticipation and annoyance; the girl obviously didn't approve of what was going on.

"Why don't you move, Nikolai?" Marina raised an eyebrow. "I know for a fact you're missing Care of Magical Creatures right now, in fact, I think the first-years are halfway through their class already."

The four boys behind her snickered, and Lily even smirked at the sight of Mulciber's furious glare.

"We can take you, Potter," he took a step forward. Avery didn't look as certain, and didn't follow his friend. Snivellus still hadn't said a word, and he was currently trying to sneak into the Potions room behind him.

James simply rolled his eyes, "What? Five against two? Are you serious?"

"I think you'll find that I'm Sirius," Sirius raised his hand in mock-helpfulness.

"Watch your back, Potter," Mulciber spat, turning on his heel and throwing the Potions door open.

"Which one?" Marina and James called after him.

The two received no answer.

"Damn, I guess we better watch our backs, then!" Marina said sarcastically. "I wonder what his tiny little rat's brain will come up with!"

"Hey!" said Peter indignantly, and the five laughed.

They had, in the moment, forgotten that Lily Evans was still standing in the hallway watching them.

"Uh, thanks, I guess," the redhead said, not impolitely.

James nodded, "Anytime, Evans."

The boy then entered the classroom first, and Marina followed without so much as a glance in Lily's direction. Remus smiled at her, as did Peter, but Sirius shot an angry look at her before following his friends inside. Lily stood in shock, unable to believe that James had passed up a chance to gloat over being her hero. After a moment, she entered the classroom and made her way to one of the last remaining seats.

✱✱✱✱✱

"I hate Potions," Sirius complained.

The two had walked together to lunch, as Sirius had a free hour and picked her up at her classroom. James had forgotten his Charms book, so he hustled back to the Common Room to retrieve it. Sirius and Marina were discussing their new seating arrangements in Potions class, which Sirius despised, but Marina didn't seem too bothered.

"Well, I'm paired with Anastasia Claire, and she's not too bad," Marina shrugged. "She's quiet, but at least she's not an obnoxious blood-purity nut."

"That you know of," Sirius reminded her.

Marina shrugged again, "I guess we'll see."

"I can't believe I have to sit by _Nott_ ," Sirius groaned, "At least Remus is seated at the same group of tables, but—"

Marina scoffed, "Yeah, lucky you! I get stuck with the only Gryffindor in the room who can't stand me. At least I can subtly copy Lily's always perfect potions."

"Right that," Sirius agreed as they reached the Great Hall.

As soon as the two entered, a blonde girl flew up to them and engulfed Marina in a hug.

"Marlene? What's—" Marina was interrupted.

"Mar, I'm sorry I didn't stick up for you yesterday," Marlene frowned, looking immensely guilty, "I know you, and it's not fair that those girls label you without knowing the truth."

"All true statements," Marina agreed, sighing, "It's alright, Marlene."

" _What_?" Sirius exclaimed at Marina before turning to Marlene; the two had forgotten he was still standing there, "Marlene, Marina spent the night curled up in an armchair in the Common Room because you couldn't find the balls to stick up for her in front of your own friends, and you think one apology is going to suffice? I know for a fact this isn't the first time, either! Try again when you can prove that you're actually Marina's friend instead of Lily Evans' lackey."

With that, Sirius grabbed Marina's arm and pulled her to the other side of the table where Remus and Peter were waiting. Marina's eyes were wide with shock. The girl turned her head to see Marlene standing with guilt and anger plastered on her face, and Marina felt uncomfortable when she noticed the girl's eyes welling with tears before sitting down at the end of the table.

"Sirius!" Marina smacked him on the shoulder. "What'd you do that for? Now she's crying, and she definitely won't—"

"What? Be your friend anymore?" Sirius interrupted angrily. "She hasn't been acting like it for a long time, and I'm sick of hearing about how she treats you. You need people who will stick with you through anything—"

"Like you, right?" Marina crossed her arms. "Because the Marauders are always there for one another? Well, I'm not a Marauder. You made sure of that in third year. I could never really be in your little boys club because I was never allowed to prove myself."

Sirius looked exasperated, "We're back to this again? We said we were sorry! We only wanted—"

"To protect me, yeah, I know," she spat. "Even now, you're protecting me from my 'dangerous' roommates. Thank you Sirius, so much, for creating even a bigger rift between me and the girls in my dorm."

Sirius simply stared at her, annoyed that she couldn't understand.

Marina just scoffed, "And this year, I wanted to try to actually get past everything. I guess that's not going to happen now."

The girl looked down the table and found Lily Evans watching the two argue with an expression of curiosity. Marina looked around the Great Hall, suddenly aware of the several faces looking back at her.

"Whatever, Sirius, just—" Marina sighed, shaking her head. "Just don't try to protect me anymore, okay? I'm fine."

Sirius went to disagree, but Marina had already turned her back on the boy, walking toward the exit. As she walked toward the door, a few angry tears fell from her eyes, but she attempted to hide her face.

"'Rina?" James asked, stopping her in the doorway on his own way into the hall. "Are you okay?"

The girl met her brother's eyes, and he knew instantly that she was not okay. His gaze shifted to over her shoulder and James saw Sirius staring after them, a guilty expression on his face. James' brotherly instinct to help his sister overcame his emotions, and he sent a withering glare at his best friend, knowing that Sirius was the source of her pain.

"What did he do?" the boy asked, looking angry and disappointed at the same time.

"Nothing, just leave it, James," Marina looked around again, "We're making a scene."

"Oh, I'll make a scene—" James said seriously.

"J, come on," Marina shook her head, pulling on her brother's arm.

Lily watched the siblings, the same look of fascination and curiosity on her face. It wasn't often that the group got into arguments, especially not Marina, James, and Sirius. She was also surprised that Sirius didn't immediately follow the two siblings from the room. It was obvious to anyone with eyes and half a brain that Sirius was in love with Marina and always has been, but the girl had been completely oblivious for years. Lily sighed and shook her head, looking back at her plate. That group sure enjoyed their drama.

Mary scoffed, watching Sirius sit down next to Remus and Peter, "I don't understand why Sirius would ever go for her, honestly."

Obviously, Mary had neither eyes nor a half a brain, or she was completely blinded by her own infatuation with Sirius to see his true feelings.

"She's pretty," Dorcas said, ever the peacemaker. "She is nice, too, when she's not with those troublemakers. Marlene is friends with her, remember."

"We're supposed to be friends with her," Lily spoke up, surprising even herself. "I may dislike her, though not more than her brother, but maybe I classified her as 'Potter' before I got to know Marina."

Mary blinked, "I don't get it. She is a Potter."

"All I'm saying," Lily chuckled at Mary's sheer ignorance, "is that maybe I chose to believe she's just like her brother instead of getting to know who she really is."

Dorcas frowned, "We really have excluded her, haven't we? That can't have been good on Marlene, either."

"No, it can't," Lily bit her lip. "Let's make a pact."

"A pact?" Mary's eyes widened. "Not a blood pact, right? That stuff grosses me out—"

"No, Mary," Dorcas and Lily laughed.

"We're going to get to know Marina Potter," Lily concluded, smiling in satisfaction.


	4. Resolutions

The next few weeks for Marina were somewhat lonely. She'd been used to the feeling in the early years at Hogwarts with her being in a different dorm from her brother and her friends, but she didn't seem to realize that along the way she began to rely on others. Without Marlene feeling bold enough to apologize more than the one time in the Great Hall, she had left Marina alone, something the brunette wished she would stop doing soon. Her brother was always there for her, but Marina was desperate for a friend besides one she was given at birth.

Weirdly enough, the girls in her dorm had been nicer to her, and even invited her to a couple study groups. Lily Evans, even stranger, had been the person to speak most to her over the past few weeks. The two girls were attempting polite conversation over Potions notes, but Marina always made an excuse to leave before Lily got any ideas about asking something personal. Mary was still wary of her since she found out about the night Sirius spent at the Potter residence, but Dorcas had been simply kind to her whenever she saw her.

Still, Marina felt lonely, and it hurt that she knew exactly why.

She and Sirius hadn't spoken more than seven words to one another since their argument in the Great Hall. Marina suspected that the boy felt ashamed, or his pride was too much to overcome to be the one to speak to her first. Marina couldn't hold that against him, as those were exactly her reasons behind not speaking to him. Remus had spent some time in the library with her, studying Ancient Runes, and he had attempted to talk her into speaking with Sirius, but she had shaken her head firmly.

"He can come and see if I'm all right if he wants to," Marina had shrugged. "So far, he hasn't felt inclined, so I'm not going to be the one to talk to him first. He was the one who forced my best friend to abandon me."

Remus had rolled his eyes, "What Marlene did was of her own accord, and I'm not entirely sure that what Sirius said, though horribly communicated, was incorrect."

Marina had stared at him for a moment before promptly packing up her things, "Fine."

"What—Marina?" Remus frowned.

"I'll see you later," she had said, and left the boy staring after her.

All in all, the last few weeks left much to be desired.

✱✱✱✱✱

Sirius threw his fork down angrily, glaring at his plate filled with mashed potatoes and roast chicken. James and Remus exchanged a look, but both said nothing. Peter didn't seem to get the memo.

"What's wrong, Padfoot?" the boy asked through a bite of potato.

Sirius looked up, "It's been three weeks! Three weeks! This is the longest she's gone without talking to us since third year!"

"Talking to you, I think you mean," James corrected, shrugging. Family is family, and Marina would always come before his friends. Simply stated, James still didn't agree with what Sirius said that day.

Sirius glared at him, "Right, my apologies."

"You could just go ask how she's doing, and apologize," Remus suggested, sighing in annoyance.

"I don't feel bad about what I did!" Sirius exclaimed, drawing attention from the seats around him. Luckily, Marina's didn't seem to have heard. "Marlene was never a good friend to her when Evans, Dork-ass, and the Virgin Mary ganged up on her. She needed to hear it."

Peter's eyebrows furrowed, "Mary's a virgin? I could've sworn at that New Year's Party—"

"It's something from a Muggle religion," Remus informed him, though unsure how Sirius knew the reference.

James frowned, "Did you ever think to tell her what you thought, and then have her handle it the way she wanted?"

"You're right, James," Remus replied smoothly. "I think that's all she's ever wanted from you guys."

James turned to look at him, confused as to why he was getting a lecture along with Sirius now.

"You both didn't tell her what you thought back in third year, or allow her to come to her own decision about my Furry Little Problem," Remus calmly explained. "I think she's just rather sick of you two controlling the way she lives her life."

James and Sirius stared, gobsmacked at their friend. Remus simply shrugged and returned to eating his dinner.

"Fuck," Sirius dropped his head into his hands, "I hate it when he's right."

James' gaze landed on his sister, looking positively miserable to be sitting next to Lily Evans and her crew. Marlene avoided eye contact with the girl at all cost, and it was quite obvious that Marina wanted to be anywhere but there. James' eyes softened, and he turned back to Sirius.

"You're going to apologize," the boy ordered, the softness in his eyes dissipating with every word. "And then she's going to feel better."

Sirius nodded, and even he sneaked a peek at the brunette girl. Suddenly determined, he locked eyes with James again.

"And," he began, "we're going to teach her how to become an Animagus."

James' eyes widened, "What? No! That's not what I meant—"

Remus started laughing, and he looked positively gleeful after hearing Sirius' suggestion, "That's an amazing idea, Padfoot."

Peter's mouth broke into a grin, and he nodded in support. The only issue was James.

"Didn't you hear what Moony said?" Sirius argued. "We're letting her choose. This is how we can truly make her happy, by letting her choose her own path."

James frowned, "You sound like a Disney movie."

"A _what_?"

"Nevermind," James shook his head, mumbling something about Lily talking about it one time. "Alright, fine. We'll talk to her tonight."

"You talk to her tonight," Sirius agreed. "I'm going right freakin' now."

"What?" James furrowed his brows.

Sirius didn't answer though, he was already standing up and walking away from his spot at the dinner table.

"Sirius!" James called, nervous that the boy would start a conversation in the middle of the Great Hall about running through the woods alongside a werewolf.

"Marina," Sirius reached her.

The brunette looked up from her food, eyes wide, "Yes, Sirius."

He smiled, "I want to apologize. For everything. For third year, for being an arse pretty much daily, and most recently for causing a scene in the Great Hall not unlike the one I am right now."

Marina let out an involuntary snort at his words, but didn't interrupt.

"You should be free to make your own decisions, and I'm sorry I took that away from you, again," Sirius continued, looking down, "I hope you'll forgive me, because I really miss you—"

"Oh, Merlin, Sirius, stop!" Marina said, rising to her feet. Sirius was nervous for a moment, but instantly relaxed when he recognized her teasing exterior, "Of course I'll forgive you."

Sirius grinned brightly, sending an accomplished look back at the three boys farther down the table.

"But," Marina continued, giving him a pointed look. Sirius' grin faltered slightly, "You'll have to make it up to me."

The teasing tone to her voice let the boy know that he was forgiven regardless of whatever she meant by that.

Sirius smirked back, regaining some of his smugness and instantly turning her words against her, flirting, "I've got a few ideas how—"

"Alright, that's enough of that," James interrupted, appearing out of nowhere and stepping between the two, "We get it, he's forgiven. Can we go back to our dinners now?"

Marina looked down at her empty plate, shrugging, "I'm finished, how about you, Sirius?"

The boy's eyes gleamed, "All done."

"See ya, brother," Marina grabbed Sirius' hand and pulled the boy out of the room, his laughter echoing in the hall behind him.

✱✱✱✱✱

"You want to _what_?" Marina wasn't sure if she had heard correctly, but a small smile was creeping up her face.

"We want to teach you how to become an Animagus," Sirius repeated, enjoying the look of elation on the girl's face.

"But—I thought, er, James?" Marina stuttered.

"He's outnumbered, besides, it's your choice, not his," Sirius shrugged.

"And my choice is that I want to help Remus in any way I can," Marina's eyes dimmed slightly. "But, I'm not sure he'll need me since he's got you three."

"Hey," Sirius shook his head. "Trust me, he needs you, too. You wouldn't believe the stuff that happens out there on a full moon. Anything you can do will infinitely make the experience better. Especially because you'll be there."

Marina smiled and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, "Well, then I'm in. Like always."

Sirius smirked, "Good, because it takes a while."

Marina nodded, "So, where do we start?"

Sirius winced, "You have to hold a Mandrake leaf in your mouth for a month, starting at the next full moon."

" _What_?"

"Yeah, remember that vow of silence James, Peter and I took during third year?" Sirius asked.

Marina nodded, "All right. I can do that. A whole month. No problem."

"Yeah, see?" Sirius shrugged, "Plus, you'll have us to help, and we've done this before. It should go a lot smoother than when we did it at thirteen."

Marina shook her head, "I still can't believe you all pulled it off, even Peter!"

"I know," Sirius sighed, "It was quite idiotic if you think about it."

"You don't have to think that hard to know it was idiotic," Marina laughed, "but it was an amazing thing to do to help your friend. It's not a mystery as to why you're in Gryffindor."

Sirius smiled, "You should tell my parents that, they'd have a right laugh."

"Who cares about them?" Marina scoffed. "They suck. Besides, you have a new family now."

"Mar, you've been my family way longer than since the end of summer," Sirius murmured.

Marina smiled softly, and the two sat in comfortable silence for a moment. He was right, of course.

"Did you know James is still unable to cope with the fact that I've technically known you longer?" she leaned her back against his bed post.

Sirius laughed, "Of course he is."

"You know, I thought you were a cocky git when I first laid eyes on you," Marina spoke dramatically.

"Hm," Sirius mused, "That's not what I thought of you."

Marina raised an eyebrow, "Yeah? What did you think of me?"

 _I thought you were the prettiest girl I'd ever seen_ , the boy thought.

Sirius smiled, a teasing tone to his voice, "I thought how sad that a girl your age could not lift her own trunk onto the train."

Marina laughed and Sirius smiled, proud he could still make her laugh after all the times he had screwed up.

The Common Room door opened as a group of girls walked through the portrait hole to see Sirius and Marina sitting close together on the couch and laughing. Of course, the girls were comprised of Mary, Dorcas, Marlene, and Lily.

"Hey, Marina," Lily politely waved, seemingly forcing herself to greet the girl.

"Hi," Marina replied, uncomfortable.

"Isn't this cozy?" Mary frowned, crossing her arms.

Sirius raised an eyebrow, almost as though looking to Marina for permission to say something. She shook her head, but he still turned back to the girls.

"Well, it was," the boy agreed, "before you all got here."

Marina sighed, "Sirius—"

"No, Marina," Lily shook her head, a small smile gracing her features much to the confusion of the small brunette, "We'll go. Have a good night, Sirius. We'll see you later, Marina."

The two watched as the four girls climbed the stairs to their dormitory, shutting the door behind them.

"That was weird," Sirius remarked.

"Lily has been nicer to me recently. She also keeps trying to get me to talk to her about stuff besides school. I think she wants to get to know me," Marina frowned at the thought.

Sirius shrugged, "Isn't that a good thing?"

Marina stopped, thinking, "Oh. I suppose it is."

"What does Marlene have to say about it?" the boy asked casually.

"Well," Marina began sharply, "she hasn't said much of anything recently."

"I'm sorry—" he was cut off.

"It's fine, Sirius," Marina waved him off. "I know what you said was right, but I just wish I could have prevented her shutting down on me."

"Just talk to her," Sirius suggested. "Girls like to talk, especially about themselves! She'd also appreciate you going to her instead of the other way around. I'm sure she feels ashamed and embarrassed and horrible and guilty—"

"Yeah, I get it," Marina interrupted again, shaking her head with a small smile. "I'll talk to her."

Sirius smiled, a proud smile on his face.

Marina looked at him for a moment, "I missed you. The past few weeks have been kind of lonely. James hasn't been much company, I'm sort of sick of him."

Sirius smiled, "I know the feeling."

Marina returned the smile, "For some reason I never get sick of you."

Sirius' heart skipped a beat, but he refrained from stuttering his words, "I could never get sick of you either."

"Thanks, Sirius," Marina smiled softly.

✱✱✱✱✱

That night, Sirius laid in bed unable to sleep for a variety of reasons, most of them having to do with a certain short brunette Potter girl. He stared at the ceiling, frustrated with himself.

How could he have let himself fall for this girl? Not only did she simply think of him as a friend, she was his best mate's sister. When James had walked into Marina's room that morning and discovered that Sirius stayed the night, he'd never been more afraid of his friend's reaction.

The loud sound of James' snoring interrupted his thoughts, but it only reminded him of sharing a bed with Marina. Unlike her brother, Marina had slept quietly and somewhat peacefully. Likely due to her being a light sleeper, she moved a lot while sleeping, but she never made a noise. Sirius had to shift multiple times to allow her to remain comfortable. It wasn't until he woke up in the morning that he realized that he had been hugging her in his sleep, something that was definitely not allowed. Somehow, he couldn't bring himself to move his arm away, and he remained there until Mrs. Potter knocked on the door, waking her daughter from her sleep.

Sirius turned onto his side, letting out a frustrated sigh. Why couldn't something in his life be easy? The other girls he had been with had been flings. They'd been easy. Marina wasn't easy, not that he wanted her to be, of course, but he wished that it were easier between the two of them. Simple. Natural. Not difficult. That's how the flirting started. Complimenting her, speaking suggestively in an attempt to hear her tinkling laugh—it all just slipped off the tip of his tongue. And when she started to flirt back, it felt effortless. It felt simple, natural, _easy_.

Sirius knew that Remus knew. Of course he did; the boy knew everything. There was no way he could hide his feelings from everyone, and Sirius was half-sure that Lily Evans knew, too, especially after her quick departure from the Common Room that evening. He hadn't ever liked the redhead girl, but if she was keeping his secret, then he would throw a damn parade in her honor.

There was one other thing.

Sirius shifted again, frowning. He wasn't kidding when he said she was too good for him. Too good for anyone, more like. What Sirius did to deserve her constant support and friendship, he wasn't sure. It wasn't a mystery why she got sorted into Gryffindor either; she would do anything for her friends, even if that meant standing up for them when they're in the wrong. She was prideful and fiercely loyal, and would go along with one of her brother's schemes saying it was the right thing to do even if it killed her. That's just the kind of person she was, and Sirius loved her for it.

Fuck, he loved her.

Sirius squeezed his eyes shut, taking a deep breath.

But there was nothing for him to do about it.

✱✱✱✱✱

The next day, the sixth year N.E.W.T. level Charms class was revisiting the Locomotion charm on their ink pots. The class had been Marina's favorite since first year as she had always enjoyed the creative and independent nature of Charms. That, and she had taken Arithmancy as an elective one year and absolutely despised it—Charms class was the exact opposite in nature from that.

Marina sat next to Benjy Fenwick, a tall brunette Ravenclaw boy whom she had heard Mary chatter about excitedly in the security of their dorm room. Though he was a Ravenclaw, he didn't seem nearly as uptight or eccentric like most of his housemates. The boy had blue eyes and a confident look about him, something that Marina knew girls found attractive. When they were first placed next to one another that year, Marina recalled one time in fourth year after she and Fabian broke up that Benjy had asked her to Hogsmeade, though she declined politely. The boy took it well, though he looked appropriately disappointed.

Now, the two exchanged polite conversation and a couple of laughs as they pointed their wands in different directions, causing their ink pots to drop small drops of ink onto unsuspecting students' heads.

"Marina!" James exclaimed, shielding himself from drops of ink.

The girl simply laughed, shaking her head, "Sorry James, but you're such a fun target."

"Mar, if you come near my hair with that ink, I swear—" Sirius cried, already blocking his head with his hands.

Benjy laughed, interrupting the boy's empty threat, "We'd hate to ruin your perfect hair, Black!"

Sirius narrowed his eyes at the boy, but he kept his tone lighthearted as he replied, "Watch it, Fenwick."

Benjy raised his hands in mock defense, "Sorry, you're right, I wouldn't understand, what with my average head of hair."

Marina let out a laugh, shaking her head at the boy as she lowered her ink pot from the air and back onto the table in front of her.

Sirius frowned, "Below average, I'd say."

Again, Benjy simply smiled, "You are the expert."

Unsatisfied, Sirius sat down in his seat next to James, who was currently watching his ink pot zoom around the room, boredom evident on his face. Lily was also in this class, Sirius noticed in an instant, seeing the girl seated next to Priscilla Arlington. Sirius realized he had been looking for too long when the Ravenclaw girl winked at him and sent a suggestive smile his way. Sirius wrinkled his nose and looked the other way; he hadn't spoken to that girl since he hooked up with her at the Christmas party a year ago—or was it two years?

Sirius had mostly been wondering why James didn't feel the need to show off for his "future wife" as he had so sweetly called her before. The boy didn't look as interested in his coursework at the moment, and Sirius thought he deserved a good cheering up.

"Alright, Prongs," Sirius leaned forward in his seat, "Let's do a prank."

James' eyes widened, and he shot a noticeable look at Lily and then at Professor Flitwick, who was helping a student with the spell.

"On whom?" James sighed, putting his hands behind his head and scoping the room for potential victims.

Sirius shrugged, "I don't care."

James sighed again, "Me neither."

The two boys sat in silence for a moment, watching as Edmund Greenbelt struggled to perform the Locomotion charm for the fifth time. James tilted his head, wondering how the boy made it into the class at all.

A shriek of laughter interrupted the boys' thoughts, and they turned to see Marina hysterically laughing at Benjy Fenwick's ink-spotted face.

Sirius smirked, "Finally got what he deserved! Making fun of my hair—"

Benjy, though covered in ink, still had a smile on his face. Sirius frowned; what did it take for the boy to get riled up? Surely, if Marina had dropped an ink pot on his own head, Sirius would—well, no. Of course Sirius wouldn't be angry at her, in fact, he'd probably just laugh it off— _oh_.

The Black boy studied Benjy's expression, and he knew in an instant that the Ravenclaw was simply doing what Sirius did all the time with Marina—he was flirting.

"Maybe I've found our next victim," Sirius grumbled.

✱✱✱✱✱

Marina had walked out of Charms with Benjy before waving him goodbye as he turned in the opposite direction toward his Potions class. Charms had been more fun than usual, and Marina laughed harder than she had in a while when her ink pot fell onto Benjy's head. She was too good at Charms for it to be an accident, and Benjy knew it, but he had only laughed it off, applauding her on ruining his "below average hair" as Sirius had called it.

"Hey there, sis," James appeared by Marina's side, joining her on her walk to McGonagall's classroom.

"Marina," Sirius bumped her shoulder in greeting, popping up on her other side, "What's up?"

The girl smiled, "Nothing. Charms was easy, as usual. Was kind fun pouring ink on Benjy's head though."

Sirius' mouth twisted into a frown, "Yeah, it looked fun."

Marina shot him a quizzical look before changing the subject, "Ready for Transfiguration?"

James nodded, "Finally, a good class! You know, Transfiguration—"

"We know, it's the only class you like, James," Sirius and Marina shared a smirk.

James shrugged, "I'm really good at it."

Marina sighed, knowing he wasn't bragging, simply stating a fact, "I know."

"And you're really good at Charms!" James spoke up, "And Astronomy. Which, by the way, how come you didn't take that again this year?"

Marina shrugged, "It won't help prepare me for my future, besides, if I want to look a star, I need look no further than Sirius Black himself."

Sirius barked out a laugh, and James couldn't help but join in. The three arrived at their class to see Lily standing outside the room, reluctant to go in.

"Evans," James nodded once, not bothering the girl further. Sirius followed him in, but Marina paused, noticing the anxious expression on the girl's face.

"Lily?" Marina asked, cursing herself for stopping as soon as she opened her mouth. "Something wrong?"

"Severus was in there, alone, so I was waiting for people to go in so I wouldn't be alone," Lily replied awkwardly. "I suppose I could walk in now that, er, you're here."

Marina couldn't help but wince at her words, "Come on, you can sit by me. I know Dorcas, Marlene, and Mary had Transfiguration last hour."

Lily's eyes brightened, and she followed Marina to the desks in front of Sirius and James, much to the two boys' surprise. Sirius shot her a questioning look, but Marina gave him a helpless look, nodding her head toward Severus Snape sitting in the front row. The greasy-haired boy was watching Lily guiltily, and had obviously been hoping that she would have to sit next to him. When Marina looked back at him, Severus sent her a glare to which she rolled her eyes.

The rest of the class filled in, McGonagall entered the room, and the lesson began.

As McGonagall was speaking, Marina felt something land in her lap. She looked down, and a small paper plane sat waiting for her to open. Marina knew the drill; she didn't even turn to look at who she knew sent the plane.

**Do you need me to rescue you? I can fake a bloody nose and have you take me to the Hospital Wing.**

**-S**

Marina smirked, shaking her head. Lily turned her head ever so slightly and read the girl's note. Frowning, Lily looked back down at the table until she watched Marina scratch out her reply.

_Thanks, but no thanks, Lily's not too bad anymore anyway. I think she's trying to be my friend actually. A nice change, don't you think? xx_

_-M_

Lily allowed a small smile to creep onto her face, and Marina turned her head to the side to see the girl's reaction to her note.

"Lily Evans!" Marina whispered accusingly. "Were you snooping?"

Lily's face turned pink, "Uh, no—"

"Relax," Marina laughed under her breath, looking up at McGonagall to check that she wasn't looking their way. "I wasn't being that subtle, and anyway, I meant it. You seem to be trying to get to know me, and it's about time I returned the favor."

Lily smiled, "Friends, then?"

Marina flicked her wrist, her wand sending the note back to Sirius as she agreed, "Friends."

"Miss Potter!" a stern voice chirped from the front of the classroom. Lily winced at the professor's voice, feeling guilty, but Marina simply looked up.

"Yes, Professor!" she smiled.

Marina heard the familiar whispered incantation to destroy passed notes and any evidence of such. The girl smirked, Sirius was always quick.

"Were you passing notes in my class?" McGonagall asked, crossing her arms as though she already knew the answer.

"What note?" Marina feigned confusion. Lily's eyes widened.

"The note that I saw flying by command of your wand," McGonagall recalled. The usual twinkle remained in her eyes, so Marina knew she wasn't in much, if any, trouble.

"Hmm, nope, I don't recall," Marina shrugged.

"The note that landed on Sirius' desk?" McGonagall probed. Marina smiled slightly, appreciating how McGonagall used Sirius' first name instead of calling him by his estranged family's. She would always be Marina's favorite professor.

"Sirius, did you get a note from me by chance?" Marina asked, turning around.

Sirius pretended to look through his things, "Hm, nope. No note here!"

James held back a scoff at the two's shenanigans, but Lily, on the other hand, was enjoying Marina and Sirius' escape from trouble seemingly more than he was.

McGonagall sighed loudly, closing her eyes for a moment before turning back to the class, having abandoned all hope of prosecuting the two further. Marina sent Sirius an accomplished smile over her shoulder, and Sirius winked back.

"I swear, McGonagall loves you guys," Lily said when Marina turned around. "I don't know how you do it."

"Well, as I see it, she really loves two things: Quidditch and Transfiguration," Marina explained. "James and Sirius are exceptional at both, and while I'm better in Charms, I am the Gryffindor Seeker. I don't think she even realizes that we're her favorites."

Lily shook her head, smiling, "Brilliant. Any way I can get in on that?"

"You're Lily Evans," Marina scoffed. "All teachers love you, you're a bit of a brown-noser, you know."

Lily's jaw dropped, "I am not!"

"Shh!" Sirius whispered behind them, "McGonagall keeps looking back here—and, honestly, Evans, of course you're a brown-noser. I don't understand why you're defending yourself like that."

Marina smirked triumphantly as Lily chuckled softly, reluctantly accepting the boy's retort and turning back to the lesson in an attempt to pay attention for whatever remained of class.

✱✱✱✱✱

Defense Against the Dark Arts passed without anything more interesting happening besides Nott's robes getting caught under his chair and causing him to trip on his way out. The Marauders and Marina shared a laugh about that, and even Lily had joined in after she realized that it was okay to enjoy herself around the group.

Mary and Dorcas had watched as Lily entered the classroom with Marina and took a seat next to the Potter girl without even looking for them. They had shrugged it off, knowing that Lily wanted to improve her relationship with Marina, but they were surprised nonetheless. Marlene watched as Lily and Marina laughed at something Sirius said, but she turned to face the front of the room as Professor Martin (their new DADA teacher that year) began her lesson for the day.

Marlene looked down, unable to stop thinking about Sirius' words to her from three weeks ago in the Great Hall. Of course, she had always felt guilty about not defending her friend, but honestly, Marlene wasn't sure Marina needed it until Sirius pointed it out. Everyone needs someone in their corner, and Marlene finally realized that. When her roommates were trash-talking Marina's brother, Marina was in James' corner and on his side without question or hesitation. That's what a best friend did, and Marlene would make sure that Marina knew that she would, from now on, do just that.


	5. Mandrake Leaves

Marlene finally caught Marina at the end of the day in their dorm room. Lily, Mary, and Dorcas were currently in the Common Room attempting to study, but most likely just chatting and gossiping about their day. Marina left a few minutes previously to prepare for bed after bidding the girls goodnight. Marlene followed after a few moments, gaining the courage to approach her best friend of three years.

"Marina?" Marlene asked.

Marina's head shot up, surprised to hear Marlene's voice directed at her, "Yes?"

"Um, I know I already apologized a while ago, but I'm sorry about, you know, not ever defending you or your brother," Marlene began, checking her friend's expression.

Marina's face remained neutral, but she nodded once, allowing her to continue.

"I guess I never realized that you needed someone, um, in your corner, or whatever," Marlene frowned, "I always assumed that the boys—the Marauders—had filled that role. I don't think I realized how alone you must've felt in your own dorm room."

Marina smiled softly, looking down at her feet, "Sirius really did a number on you then, huh?"

Marlene's eyes widened, "I've never felt so guilty in my life! Not that it wasn't deserved, of course, but damn, that boy knows what to say."

"Yeah, he does," Marina smiled brighter.

Marlene noticed the look, pursing her lips, "You know, he really cares about you."

Marina nodded, "I know, he's one of my best friends."

"I know," Marlene copied her nod before returning to her previous point. "I was hoping that we could be friends again. I really hate not talking to you."

Marina's eyes softened, "Me too. The boys are starting to get to me."

Marlene laughed, and the two girls shared a quick hug, happy to be on good terms again.

"Okay, honestly though, McKinnon," Marina looked at her seriously, "What took you so long?"

Marlene scoffed, "Please, you know I'm a sucker for drama."

Marina simply laughed, jumping onto her bed. Marlene followed suit, and the two started a two hour conversation catching up on everything they had missed over the past month.

✱✱✱✱✱

"Anyway, she apologized for everything, again, but this time, she understood what exactly she was feeling guilty for," Marina explained to the Marauders. "That doesn't really make sense, but it was nice to have my best girl friend back again. We've missed so much, oh Merlin, did I tell you—"

"'Rina," James interrupted, "You're doing that thing again."

Marina stopped rambling, smirking, "Sorry, I forgot you didn't care much for drama. Unless it includes Lily."

"Not anymore," James shook his head, "I've moved on."

The five friends were currently lounging in the Marauders' dorm room. There were no other boys from their year in their house, so they didn't have to do much to keep their secrets in their own room. Marina longed for that security in her own dorm, remembering all the times she felt like an outsider as she closed her curtains around her bed early each night.

Marina sighed, at least Lily was trying.

Sirius looked proud as he replied, "Good."

Peter scoffed, and Remus simply rolled his eyes, saying, "Good?"

"Lily Evans turned her nose up at us for years, and has snubbed James so many times I was surprised he lasted as long as he did," Sirius shrugged. "Maybe Lily will finally realize that she's not as important as she seems to think she is."

Marina agreed, but she also made sure to point out that Lily was attempting to get to know her better.

"Whatever, I'm just happy James is happy," Sirius shrugged, keeping his voice light.

Remus shrugged, "I guess I understand that."

"Me too," Marina smiled, nodding.

"As we all are," James pointed out, "Which is why I have reluctantly allowed—"

"I don't need your permission, James," Marina interrupted, rolling her eyes.

"—for my sister to become an Animagus," he finished, not even noticing the girl's interruption. "Let's just hope she's not a bunny."

Marina scoffed, "Do I look like a bunny to you?"

The four boys chorused together, "Yes."

"What? No way," Marina pouted, crossing her arms.

Remus shrugged, "You do give off that kind of vibe."

"Is it wrong to be offended?" Marina frowned.

"Nah," Sirius shook his head helpfully.

"Coming from the rat," Peter spoke, sighing, "It's not that bad."

Marina smiled supportively at the boy before facing the rest of the group, "Alright, so what's the first step?"

"Tonight's the full moon—" James began, looking warily at Remus, who was looking worse for wear although it was still morning, "When it is at it's peak, that's when you place the Mandrake leaf in your mouth."

Sirius nodded, "You can't take it out for anything, and don't swallow it either, then you'd have to start completely over."

Marina frowned, "I can't believe you guys did this in third year."

"I couldn't believe it either," Remus smiled softly.

"It's a small leaf, but if you talk too much or open your mouth too wide, someone could see or recognize it," Peter explained, "It was just easier for us to not speak at all, but that's nearly impossible to do while at this school, especially secretly."

"So," Marina sighed, "I just have to keep this leaf in my mouth until the next full moon?"

James nodded, "Then take it out on the next full moon. It has to go right into a potion that we will be making, so—"

"One of them will stay back with you that night," Remus interrupted. The three boys turned to disagree, but Remus put his hand up, "She needs to make sure that the phial is touched by moonlight, and you guys have made the potion before. I can handle one night with only the two of you, I've done it loads of times before."

"I'll do it," James spoke up, "Wormtail has his job with the tree, and Padfoot can help Moony far more than I can. I've never been there without Sirius anyway, and I'm not entirely sure that the werewolf would see me as an equal without a shaggy black dog to back me up. It should be me."

Marina smiled at her brother, "You hate Potions."

"But I'm the best at Transfiguration," James countered, smirking. "If I pretend it's all Transfiguration, I feel better about the Potions part of it."

The five laughed off James' attempt at humor. Suddenly, Sirius sat up, thoughtful.

"When Marina turns into an animal, we're going to need to come up with her own Marauders nickname," he said.

"Fluffy?" Peter smirked, remembering the bunny.

"I will not be a bunny!" Marina argued, shaking her head. After a moment, her eyes widened. "Oh no, what if I'm a bunny?"

Again, the five friends burst into laughter, continuing to come up with absurd names for Marina's undetermined Animagus form.

✱✱✱✱✱

Mary Macdonald was a plain girl. Being surrounded by the blonde bombshell Marlene McKinnon, innocently beautiful Dorcas Meadowes, and confident redhead Lily Evans, Mary had figured it out quickly in her time at Hogwarts. Not to mention that her other roommate was James Potter's twin sister, sharing the same flawless Potter looks—it was quite often that Mary became frustrated with her own. She had stringy brown hair that must be washed daily so to not look as oily as Severus Snape's and a pale face that would never achieve half the tan that Marlene and Marina seemed to have year-round. Despite her disinteresting features, she did have nice eyes, and that was always what she was complimented on. Her eyes were ice blue, and they complimented her usually pale face very well.

When boys began to ask Marlene and Dorcas to Hogsmeade around third year, Mary had smiled and felt happy for them. When the boys plucked up the courage to ask Lily Evans despite James Potter's incessant flirtatiousness, Mary had smiled and felt happy for her. But when fifth year came around, and no one had asked her to Hogsmeade even once, Mary started to frown when her friends spoke about a date they'd had scheduled. That's not to say Mary hadn't had experience in the department of boys, but they never seemed to stay interested in her for long, whereas her friends were constantly turning the boys away instead of the other way around.

The New Year's Eve Party last year was something of a mistake. Lily, Dorcas, and Mary were at a party at some older Gryffindor's house, and when Lily and Dorcas found some way to abandon her, she had drowned her sorrows in firewhiskey and butterbeer. Mary vaguely remembered seeing Sirius Black, and felt her confidence soar as she took a few steps toward him. Before Mary could reach him (and do something she'd regret) Marina Potter appeared and whisked him away with rambunctious laughter and a perfect smile.

Later in the party, she went upstairs with a boy by the name of Kaiden Herschel, a Hufflepuff, in a misguided attempt to distract herself. Though nothing happened, Kaiden told everyone that something had. Everyone believed him, except for Lily and Dorcas when Mary explained tearfully what happened, and Mary went back to being ignored once they returned to Hogwarts.

Mary wasn't sure where her crush on Sirius originated, but she did remember Lily and Dorcas telling her repeatedly that she should give up on it while she still could. Whenever Mary asked why, Lily would exchange a look with Dorcas or glance at Marina's bed where the girl would sometimes be, not listening.

Despite what they said, Mary could not seem to let it go. She was infatuated with the boy; his long hair and rebellious behavior were attractive to any girl at school, and she knew she wasn't the only one with a crush on Sirius Black. He had many girls in his bed much more obsessive than Mary, and she wondered why Sirius overlooked her in every instance. She should be easier for him to see, given that she lived in the same house and went to many of the same classes and slept in the same tower at night. It would be all too easy for her to just wander into the boy's dormitories one night, but still, Sirius didn't even see her.

Marina Potter was like him in that way, Mary decided. She acted like the special, lone Gryffindor girl, but everyone in school thought she was gorgeous, and the boys practically tripped over themselves to see her walk by. Most were afraid to pursue her because of her little group's tendency to bring mischief to the lives of Marina's past romantic partners, so she achieved the role of "Most Unattainable" at Hogwarts. Because of this, Marina seemed to think she was under the radar or not as popular as her brother, but the thought that someone didn't know who both the Potters were made Mary scoff.

Marina didn't know half of what flying under the radar meant. Mary had been doing it her whole life. With friends like hers, it's all she could do, unless she did something that made her newsworthy. But what could she do that the students of Hogwarts would care about?

Mary's eyes widened; she had an idea.

"Hey Mary," Marlene entered the dorm, grabbing a textbook off her bed before turning back toward the door. The girl paused, noticing Mary's thoughtful look, "You alright?"

"Yeah, I'll be down in a few," Mary replied, sending Marlene a quick smile.

"Okay," Marlene shrugged before leaving the dorm, closing the door on the way out.

Mary stared determinedly at herself in the mirror. She was finally going to do what she never had the confidence to do before: actually _try_ to get Sirius Black's attention.

✱✱✱✱✱

Marina sat in the bay window of her dorm room, staring out at the full moon. She knew that the boys would be all right; they always were. The girl looked down at the Mandrake leaf in her hand. The greenish brown tint made Marina frown, and she couldn't imagine what it would taste like. She checked her watch and saw that she only had a few minutes until the moon would reach its peak according to the boys.

They had come up with a cover story for the next month of Marina's required silence. The Marauders were notorious for pranks, and it wouldn't be uncommon to see Marina as the target of their mischief. This time, they would say that she was on the receiving end of one of their Silence charms, and every countercurse they'd tried just hadn't worked. It was easily a better story than Marina wanting to keep her mouth shut on her own accord; no one would believe that for a second.

"Marina?" a soft voice asked groggily. "What are you doing?"

Marina cursed under her breath and saw Lily Evans sitting up in her bed, "Nothing Lily, just go on back to sleep."

Lily's eyes flicked to the window and her voice dropped to a whisper, "It's a full moon tonight, isn't it?"

Marina's shrugged, playing dumb, "Yeah, so?"

"Nothing," Lily replied simply, laying back down. "Never mind."

Marina's eyes narrowed, "Do you know something?"

Lily didn't reply for several moments, "Know what?"

"Mhm," Marina rolled her eyes and turned back to the window. Another look at her watch told her that she had one minute until she should place the leaf in her mouth. She cursed Lily Evans for also being a light sleeper.

"Why are you still awake? What's different about this month?" Lily whispered, more curious. The girl even went as far as to slip out of her bed so that she didn't have to speak across the room.

"None of your business, Evans," Marina replied, getting desperate to get the girl back into bed and away from her.

Lily's eyes narrowed, "And I'm Evans again? You sound like your brother, Marina."

Marina looked outside, "He's not that bad, Lily. You just haven't gotten to know him yet."

Lily scoffed, crossing her arms, "I know him enough."

The Potter girl turned her gaze back to Lily, and didn't know what to do. Why did she have to be so nosy?

"Fuck it," Marina cursed under her breath. It had been a minute. Marina looked back up at Lily, and without caring about the consequences, she put the leaf in her mouth and moved it under her tongue.

Lily's eyes widened, "What the bloody hell was that?"

Marina simply shrugged, deciding to try to speak, "Nothing," she managed.

"Marina—" Lily warned.

"G'night!" Marina whispered, careful to keep the leaf under her tongue. It was a good thing it was still dark.

Lily stood in front of the window for a moment, processing the night's last few events before slowly walking back to her bed. What was Marina doing? Why had she checked the time so often? What had she put in her mouth, and why had she done it? The girl fell asleep still wondering the answers to her questions.

Marina's brain buzzed with the possible outcomes of tonight. Lily was a renowned know-it-all and teacher's pet, which simply meant that she could figure out what Marina was doing quite easily and then report it to a teacher like she usually did. Plus, Lily was a prefect, that was just asking for trouble. Marina hoped that Lily would remain oblivious for at least a month until the Potter girl could get rid of the leaf in her mouth, but she knew that would be generous at best. Lily Evans was kind of a genius, not unlike her brother and Sirius—it was only a matter of time. Marina just had to get Lily on her side before she did anything drastic.

✱✱✱✱✱

The next morning, the girl had a bit more trouble than usual getting ready for class. Brushing teeth especially came as quite a challenge, but she managed. Her roommates went along their merry way, not thinking it odd that Marina remained silent the entire morning. Lily, however, reacted a little differently.

"What did you put in your mouth last night, Marina?" Lily asked as the Potter girl grabbed her schoolbag and headed for the door.

Marina was unable to resist quipping, "I don't know, Lily, what did you put in _your_ mouth last night?"

"Marina!" Lily exclaimed, interrupting her with a shrill voice and pink cheeks. Marina laughed it off and left her room with Lily scrambling for her school things and following behind.

The boys were waiting in the Common Room for Marina to emerge from her room, obviously wanting to see how she was doing after her first night with the Mandrake leaf.

As soon as her recognizable brunette head was seen on the stairs, Sirius called out, "Ah! Marina! How was the Mand—ouch!"

James elbowed Sirius in the stomach, ensuring that he didn't finish his sentence. The Potter boy had noticed Lily Evans trailing after Marina, and he knew how intuitive she was. If she knew what leaf was in Marina's mouth at that moment, it was only a matter of time before she figured out that they were all illegal Animagi.

"Oh, morning Evans," Sirius finished, finally understanding. Marina looked relieved that Sirius hadn't finished his sentence, and she shot a look of approval at her brother. Lily gave a polite nod before taking a quick scan of the room.

"Where's Remus?" Lily asked, looking around the Common Room again. The girl's eyes glanced over the boys, and she noticed that they looked quite tired, if not exhausted, like they hadn't gotten more than three hours sleep the night before.

James shrugged, "His mum's ill again."

"Oh, right, I forgot—" Lily cut herself off, shaking her head. "Will you tell him I hope he's alright?"

Lily and Remus were both Gryffindor prefects and often paired up for patrols around the castle, so they had a polite friendship that extended slightly past that of the classroom and school hallways. Marina always found their friendship annoying due to the fact that she and Lily had argued so consistently about the things that her brother did that Remus actually helped with. For some reason, the redhead seemed to only have a problem with her brother (albeit sometimes Sirius) for the mischief and the rivalry with Severus Snape. 

"Will do," James nodded, avoiding her eye contact.

Lily's eyebrows furrowed as she regarded the boy, "Alright, thanks."

"Breakfast?" Peter squeaked, looking quite famished. Marina smirked at the sight of the boy's obvious discomfort with the situation.

"Yeah, we better be going," Sirius agreed. "Come on."

James, Sirius, Peter, and Marina began walking out of the Common Room and toward the Great Hall, laughing amongst themselves. It was only about a quarter of the way down that Marina realized that Lily was walking _with_ them.

The girl's eyes widened, and she tugged on Sirius' sleeve, pointing at Lily. This, obviously, got the girl's attention, and Lily just looked at her, confused.

"Wait, you're coming with us to breakfast?" Sirius asked bluntly, not bothering to mask the tone of surprise and confusion.

"I thought I would, is that okay?" Lily asked, suddenly self-conscious.

Marina smiled, nodding in response. Lily had never asked to come with them to breakfast. Maybe she was coming to her senses about their little group.

"If it's okay with Marina it's okay with me," Sirius replied, sending a quick look at James though, just in case. The boy shrugged and continued walking, letting Peter talk to him about whatever. Sirius joined them after a moment, not enjoying Lily's company as much as Marina now was.

"So, Marina, sleep well last night?" Lily said.

Marina didn't know how to respond, so she just shrugged.

"I noticed that you're a little quieter than usual," Lily commented casually. "Is it because of that thing you put in your mouth last night during the full moon?"

Marina pretended to look confused, giving Lily another shrug.

Lily's eyes narrowed, "You were staring out the window for an awfully long time, I'd think you'd have noticed that it was a full moon."

Again, Marina shrugged.

Finally, the group of five reached the Great Hall. Marina felt relieved that Lily would then leave to sit with Mary, Marlene, and Dorcas, but instead, Lily's feet followed Marina all the way over to her spot at the table.

"You're eating with us, too?" Sirius groaned, unable to hide his distaste. "What? All of a sudden you like us?"

Lily snorted, "I wouldn't go that far, but you're definitely not as obnoxious as you were a year or two ago."

 _Wanna bet?_ Marina spoke in her head, annoyed that she couldn't voice every thought she had. She'd already spoken too much in front of Lily, she had to watch it. She slumped in her seat. _It's going to be a long month._

"Well, you don't know us as well as you think you do," Sirius replied simply, grabbing a few pieces of bacon. Marina followed suit, and she grabbed a piece of French toast which she split in half and handed the other half to James. Sirius snatched the syrup away from Marina before she could reach it, and she gasped and stuck her tongue out at him. "Aww, look how cute she is when she can't talk!"

"I could get used to this," James joked, sending a smirk at his sister.

"Why can't she speak?" Lily asked, eyes glimmering with the prospect of learning new information.

"We kind of pranked her, and it backfired. We asked Pomfrey to fix it but she said we'd just have to wait it out," Sirius explained casually, recalling their story.

Lily's eyes narrowed, "She spoke to me last night and hasn't seen you since, when did you hex her?" Marina's eyes widened, and she hoped Lily didn't look at her as she frowned.

James blinked, staring, "That is a good point."

Lily smiled, not sure what to make of James' comment. Obviously, the girl knew something was up.

 _This was going to be harder than I thought, and I definitely thought it was going to be hard,_ Marina busied herself with finishing her breakfast as Sirius, James, and Peter changed the subject from the story. Apparently, Lily wasn't too focused on solving the mystery at the moment, but Marina knew that if Lily pushed any harder, she'd figure it out. Maybe they should tell her? _No, of course not!_ Marina thought, shaking her head. That wasn't her secret to tell, and Marina certainly didn't trust Lily as much as she wanted to. The girl would just have to deal with being left in the dark.

✱✱✱✱✱

TWO WEEKS LATER

Charms came as a bit of a nuisance to Sirius; for some reason, he couldn't stop glaring at Benjy Fenwick. The Ravenclaw kept finding excuses to guide Marina's hand in the correct motion, but Sirius knew that Marina was one of the most gifted Charms students he'd seen, certainly better than Fenwick. The girl didn't seem to mind much, however, as she laughed and rolled her eyes at him as though he said something funny.

James flicked his eyes over to Marina and Benjy, seeing Sirius' gaze, "What're you staring at them for?"

"Hm?" Sirius asked, feigning confusion as the anger leaving his eyes as he turned to his friend.

"Did Benjy do something to piss you off? Is that why you wanted to plan that prank on him?" James asked, suddenly skeptical, "I don't want to start a rivalry or something, I only do pranks for fun now, remember?"

"Trust me," Sirius looked back at Marina, "It's all in good fun."

"Alright class, now we will be charming your partner—"

Sirius scoffed.

"—using the Weightlessness charm you were performing on your textbook. Stand up and find a place in the room!" Flitwick announced.

Sirius and James made sure to be standing near Marina. They knew she'd want backup just in case she was asked a question or put in a position where she was forced to speak.

Marina looked to Benjy; she was going to get him back for dropping his textbook on her foot earlier in class. The boy obviously hadn't forgotten her dropped ink pot from class previously that term, and he had laughed hard at the look on Marina's face as she hopped on one foot, careful not to curse the boy out.

"All right, Marina?" Benjy hadn't missed the look, but she simply shrugged.

Easily, she cast the Weightlessness charm on Benjy, making sure to keep her mouth mostly closed as she murmured the words. Immediately, he began to float upwards.

The boy's eyes widened, "Marina! Too light!"

Marina laughed as Benjy floated higher in the air, desperate to hold onto something. He grabbed onto the nearest desk, preventing him from going higher. Sirius and James joined in on the laughter, proud of the girl's charmwork—she really was good at the class.

"Nice one, Potter," Benjy bumped her shoulder, laughing his embarrassment off once Marina uttered the countercharm. "Aren't you worried Flitwick is gonna dock you points for today though?"

"Flitwick loves her, there's no way he'd ever dock her points," Sirius said, not even turning to look at him as he injected himself into the conversation.

Benjy's eyes hardened as he looked upon Sirius, "Oh, right."

"Besides, her skill level far surpasses everyone else's. Flitwick knows she did that on purpose, he just doesn't care," James added.

Marina looked at Benjy again, noticing the boy's sudden discomfort. She tilted her head slightly to the side, but remained silent.

"Of course," Benjy laughed, the unease leaving his face again as he seemed to regain some sense of comfort, "Like Lily Evans in Potions, or so I've heard."

James half-smiled, though it looked more like a wince, "Exactly."

"All right, class! That'll be all for today!" Flitwick announced, "Dismissed!"

Sirius and James leaped toward their bags, grateful to be finished with class. Marina grabbed her schoolbag and followed them toward the door.

"See you tomorrow?" Benjy called after the girl.

Marina gave a small smile and nodded, waving on the way out.

"So what, are you two a thing now?" James immediately asked as the three friends turned the corner.

Marina scoffed, not bothering with maintaining the 'not-speaking' ruse, "What? No!"

Sirius kept quiet, a small frown appearing on his face. Instead, he focused on counting the tiles in the corridor floor.

"Benjy definitely likes you, and he's not half bad," James shrugged. "For a Ravenclaw, I mean."

"Every time you tell me that someone likes me, it never turns into anything," Marina told him pointedly. "Besides, I'm not really the dating type."

James scoffed, "Yeah, I know. You haven't necessarily been discreet. You know, you and Sirius are more alike than I care to admit."

Sirius smirked, "Lucky her."

"Lucky _you_ ," Marina countered, flipping her hair. "And anyway, just because he's cute in some boy-next-door, pop star sort of way, doesn't mean I'm going to—"

"Okay, that's enough about that," James winced. "I don't want to hear about my baby sister's extracurricular activities."

"James," Marina glared at him, "I am ten minutes older than you. Get that into your thick head!"

Sirius laughed at the bickering twins, "How do you expect people to believe you when you're more than six inches shorter than him?"

"Not my problem!" she huffed. "It's the truth!"

"All I'm saying," James interrupted again, shrugging, "is that maybe you could give it a shot. Who knows? Maybe you'll really like him."

Sirius wanted to smack James right then and there, but instead he resigned himself to mentally begging Marina not to take her brother seriously.

Marina didn't seem to hear his internal pleas, and ended the conversation on a pensive "Okay, maybe I will."

✱✱✱✱✱

Lily Evans was rounding the corner at the same time that James, Sirius, and Marina emerged from the opposite direction, talking about Merlin knew what. Then, Lily realized, Marina was talking.

The redhead's eyes widened. She had known that their story was false, but this just proved that Marina was choosing not to speak. Why would she choose to remain silent?

Lily followed the three into their next class where Marina kept the ruse of silence, even going as far as to have Sirius explain to Professor McGonagall that the boys' prank on her hadn't worn off quite yet. Lily's eyes narrowed; what could possibly be that important?

She thought back to the night when Marina had put something small and thin into her mouth, almost like a square of chocolate or a mint leaf. Marina had obviously needed to do it at a specific time as she checked her watch every few minutes and right before she popped whatever it was in her mouth. Lily knew that if she just went down to the library, she could figure out what exactly the thing was, but something else was nagging her.

Lily wanted Marina to trust her, and before that could happen, Lily had to trust Marina. Right then, the redhead made the decision to ask Marina one more time what she was up to, and if she couldn't tell her, then she would figure it out herself.

After class, Lily caught up with her. James and Sirius didn't seem to want to leave her side, though.

"Hey guys," Lily began. "Would you mind if I spoke to Marina alone for a moment?"

Sirius shrugged, "Well she can't talk back to you, so maybe this is your chance to actually win an argument for once."

Lily shot him a look, and to her surprise, James smacked him on the shoulder, "Leave her alone, Padfoot. Sorry Evans, we'll go. You alright, 'Rina?"

Marina nodded, gesturing for them to go. The boys obeyed, and Marina looked to Lily questioningly.

"I heard you talking to Sirius and your brother earlier," Lily began.

Marina remained silent, obviously wanting to maintain her story.

Lily sighed and continued, "Look, I know you guys are up to something, and I just want to make sure—"

Marina couldn't help it, cutting her off, "That we're not doing anything wrong? Or something that could lose us points from Gryffindor?"

Lily gaze remained resolute, "—that you're safe."

Marina's eyes widened, "Oh."

"I just want to make sure that you know what you're doing," the redhead continued. "I'd consider you my friend, Marina, and I look out for my friends, especially when they're doing something stupid. I want to make sure that you'll be alright. Magic, as it turns out, can be dangerous. Especially complicated spells that require the full moon and whatever it is you put in your mouth."

Marina smiled, nodding, "It's nothing that my brother and my friends haven't done before. I'll be all right, don't worry."

"But you can't tell me?" Lily frowned slightly.

"It's not my secret to tell," Marina shrugged.

Lily's eyes narrowed, and she looked around the empty corridor before asking, "Is this about Remus?"

Marina's eyes widened for a fraction of a second before she regained her composure, "Why would this be about Remus?"

Lily paused, and the two girls regarded each other. It seemed as though they both knew what the other was thinking, but saying it aloud would compromise their friend's secret.

"Okay, Marina," Lily finally said, "I trust that you're helping in some way, but I just want to make sure that my new friend isn't going to wreak havoc across school like the Marauders."

"I can't promise that," Marina's mouth tilted into a half-smile, but she suddenly sobered. "But you won't tell anyone that you saw me talking, right? It's been hard to keep the damn leaf under my tongue during this short conversation. I can't imagine talking the whole day."

Lily's eyes widened, "You still have it in your mouth? A leaf?

Marina cursed under her breath, instinctively replying, "No! Of course not."

"But you just said—" Lily began, running through the possibilities in her head. One that kept popping out to her was the lesson they learned in third year about Animagi. To become one required keeping a Mandrake leaf in one's mouth for a whole month. Lily's eyes widened.

"Oh Merlin, James is gonna kill me," Marina murmured. "Lily, just forget everything, okay? I'll be fine, and you'll keep quiet, right?"

Lily studied Marina's expression for a moment before deciding, "Okay, Potter. You've got a deal."

Marina sighed in relief, "Thank you."

"But don't think I'm not going to try to figure out what it is you have going on," Lily added seriously. "And if it's what I think it is—"

"Then you _definitely_ can't tell anyone," Marina was suddenly dead serious. "This is something that could get me thrown in Azkaban, and you wouldn't want that, right? I mean, you're my friend now, aren't you?"

Lily had an internal battle with herself, but loyalty and understanding won over logic and practicality, "Of course not. Friends don't let friends go to prison, especially wizard prison."

Marina didn't seem to find the girl funny, she was obviously still anxious over her exposed secret.

Lily shook her head in disbelief, "I can't believe you're trying to become an _Animagus_."

"Shh!" Marina scolded, and she moved the Mandrake leaf to sit on her tongue now that it wasn't a secret.

Lily's eyes widened, "How can you expect to become one in just Sixth Year?"

Marina didn't dare bring up her brother, Sirius and Peter; they'd already be mad enough if they knew that Lily Evans knew that she was attempting to do something illegal. Somehow, Marina wasn't too anxious about the actual fact that Lily knew. She was simply nervous about how the Marauders would take it.

"Why do you want to become one anyway?" Lily asked, confused.

Marina shook her head, "I'll explain it all later. I'd rather not talk much though because of the dumb leaf; would you mind waiting for another two weeks until my sentence is up?"

Lily shrugged, "I suppose, but you know that's not the only step, right? I mean, the potion—"

"I've got it all under control," Marina assured her. "I just need to make it through in one piece, and preferably without a permanent tail."

Lily's eyes widened for probably the sixth time that night.

Marina sighed, "I'm kidding, Lils."

Lily frowned, "I know that, but what if you do screw up and get one?"

"Lily!" Marina groaned, "This is super unhelpful."

"How would you ever get a boyfriend, not that you need one of course, but it'd be certainly harder to date," Lily jokingly mused. Marina sent her an annoyed look, but the girl continued, "Unless you're into that sort of thing because there are some people out there that would—"

" _Lily_!" Marina's laughter echoed through the halls, and the redhead joined in.

For a moment, they weren't even discussing the likelihood of a dangerous spell having lasting consequences. Instead, they were laughing about a horrible sex joke that Lily Evans of all people had made.

✱✱✱✱✱

Lily Evans and Marina Potter were becoming the best of friends, and all of Hogwarts watched in amazement as it happened. The two would voluntarily sit together during classes and laugh during meals as though they hadn't used to dislike one another.

The most surprised by the change, however, had to be the three girls who shared a dorm with them. Marlene, Mary, and Dorcas knew of Lily's idea to get to know Marina better, but they hadn't thought it would go as far as becoming friends with her. The other three girls had begun to notice Lily's absence as she would tag along with the Marauders and Marina when attending classes and meals. They weren't necessarily offended, just shocked and surprised that Lily would rather spend time with the Potter twins than her friends of six years, but they supposed it was just a phase. After all, who hadn't been obsessed with one or both of the twins at one point since arriving at Hogwarts?

Lily knew she was somewhat abandoning her friends and their routines by strengthening her new friendship with Marina, but once she got to know the girl, Lily felt that she owed her a sense of friendship that she never offered before. For the past six years, icing Marina out came as second nature, especially because of her friendship with Severus. After that toxic friendship ended, Lily finally realized that she was clouded by Severus' hatred for the Potters. Lily was glad that she finally got to know the real Marina Potter, instead of what Severus and she thought of her for years as James Potter's personal defender.

After Lily found out about the Mandrake leaf and the plan to become an Animagus, Marina could only really speak to five people: James, Sirius, Remus, Peter, and now, Lily. It was nice to have Lily to talk to; she was already sick of keeping quiet outside of the dorm, so she was glad to have some relief while in the security of her own room. Though Marina hadn't explained everything, she told enough that Lily understood that Marina was doing it for a good reason. Even the redhead knew that Marina wouldn't do something unless it was absolutely worth it.

The four took the news of Lily figuring out Marina's quest to become an Animagus surprisingly well, especially after Marina assured them she hadn't divulged their own secrets. Remus seemed shaky when Marina first told them, nervous that the girl would eventually catch onto the werewolf secret as well. The Potter girl didn't take the time to tell him that she guessed Lily already knew that particular bit of information.

If there was one person who was having the most trouble adjusting to the newfound friendship between Marina and Lily, it was none other than James Potter. When Lily began coming to lunch with Marina, that meant that Lily began coming to lunch with the Marauders as well. The Potter boy cursed the skies as he realized he would be in close proximity to Lily Evans frequently now that his sister and she were friends. He couldn't very well get over her if he were forced to hang out with her every day, could he?

When he voiced his concerns to Sirius, the boy had simply shrugged, "Your sister's made a friend out of someone who used to screw with her life, I'd say it's a win."

James had mumbled something along the lines of, "Yeah, you're right," and the two had moved on.

But, she was still there everyday, laughing, smiling, gossiping. The dark red hair flipped over her shoulder every so often always got his attention, and was starting to drive him mad. The two hadn't spoken except on a couple occasions, and James didn't know if he should be disappointed or relieved for that fact. It was the most time that James had spent with her all six years of Hogwarts, and he had his sister to thank for that. He still didn't know what he did to deserve the torture.

 _But it's_ _all right_ , James told himself, _it's not like it could get any worse._


	6. Trick or Treat

Quidditch tryouts passed without much event. Marina and Sirius made the team again, (no surprise there) and James picked apart each and every new recruit to make sure that they were the best choice. The boy always made sure to made decisions based on what was best for the team as a whole, and he spent way too much time analyzing everyone's strengths and weaknesses, devising game strategies and pep talks around what made each teammate work best. The boy simply loved Quidditch.

James was made captain in his fifth year, and Marina and Sirius couldn't have been prouder. There wasn't anything James loved doing more than flying around on a broom. Growing up, he always talked about how he was going to become a World Famous Quidditch Player. Marina wasn't convinced until he was appointed captain; he took it very, very seriously.

Marina, though an exceptional Quidditch player, knew she'd never be a professional player, and she took after her mother. Euphemia Potter worked at the Ministry of Magic in the Department of Magical Law, and the good that she was doing was something to admire. Marina hadn't always been a fighter, except with her words. Rather than coming to arms like her brother often did as a first resort, she utilized other methods of resolving a conflict. She liked to win, and using her words to render her opponent silent, well, it was the most fun way to win. James wasn't able to manage that when he was younger, so Marina was constantly getting him out of trouble with her parents. She figured out at an early age that she could be very persuasive.

"All right with who you chose this year?" Marina asked her brother.

"Yeah," James replied confidently. Marina could tell he was already thinking strategy. "Olliver will have to adjust to the more strength that being a beater requires. I mean, the kid isn't weak, but—"

"I'll whip him into shape," Sirius smirked.

Sirius was one of the best Beaters in the school, Marina knew. She'd only been hit with a Bludger from the other team once in her Quidditch career since Sirius joined the team, and it happened after Sirius himself was already incapacitated and pulled off the pitch. Basically, whenever Sirius was on the field, she knew that she didn't need to worry about anything hurting her.

"By our first game, we'll have everything sorted," James concluded. "I'm expecting endurance flying and strength training—no one is falling off their brooms from exhaustion on my watch."

"No time to rest either, apparently," Marina shared a look with Sirius.

James' eyes narrowed, "We can't rest. We have to do everything in our power to win the Quidditch Cup, and—"

"Oh, man, Marina, way to go," Sirius groaned, "Getting him on this rant again."

"Yeah," Marina winced, "That was a mistake."

James continued as if he hadn't heard them, "I don't think you guys _realize_ —"

✱✱✱✱✱

 _One week until the full moon_ , Marina told herself, pushing the leaf farther under her tongue. Although she had gotten used to the damned thing, it was still something she was eager to get rid of. The week of Halloween was fast approaching with the full moon the day after; Marina thought that was a little unfair on Remus, knowing how terrible her friend must feel during the holiday, but at least he didn't have to completely miss it.

With Halloween comes the annual Gryffindor (and the other lucky invited few) Halloween party. For the past few years, Marina had spent the night drunk off of firewhiskey and whatever else the Marauders could scrounge up from Hogsmeade using the secret passageways.

Though the night usually ended with Marina hooking up with one of the older Gryffindors or the occasional student from another house, she didn't feel as inclined to do it this year. The feeling of disinterest in the Hogwarts population was something of a pattern recently. Marina noticed that she hadn't been on a date at all that year, not for lack of invitation. The only boy she actively conversed with besides the Marauders was Benjy Fenwick, and although he was gorgeous, there hadn't been any developments there. Why had she suddenly become celibate? Was she maturing past the desire to make out with a random boy simply because she could?

 _Merlin, I hope not_ , Marina thought, scrunching her nose.

Sirius plopped down in the armchair across from hers, looking exhausted. Marina raised an eyebrow at him. The boy shrugged, not saying anything, so she returned to her thinking disguised as reading her Ancient Runes textbook.

Marina peeked up from her book to see Sirius fumbling with the ends of his hair. The boy obviously hadn't gotten a haircut in a long time, and his hair hung so it barely brushed his shoulders. Marina's mother tried to cut it for him before they went off to Hogwarts that year, but Sirius plainly refused (though he was polite about it). Marina agreed immediately, saying that the longer hair suited him too well. James had scoffed, but he didn't have room to talk with his unruly, sticking in every direction, mop of hair.

"What's up, Mar?" Sirius caught her staring at him, raising an eyebrow. Marina scanned the room for eavesdroppers and found no one that would call her out for speaking.

She cleared her throat, shaking her head, "Nothing."

"You had a pretty intense look on your face there," Sirius chuckled, shifting his body so he was facing her. "You sure?"

Marina thought for a moment before replying, "Have you noticed we're all kinda different this year?"

Sirius frowned in thought, "How so?"

"Well, we haven't done nearly as many pranks," Marina began. "Why do you think all of a sudden we stepped back on that? I mean, you four were kind of known for it."

Sirius shrugged, "I don't know. I don't want to be the one to say we've matured, but—"

"Then don't!" Marina interrupted, a smile on her face. He was always able to know just what she was thinking. "I don't want to be mature quite yet. I want to run around and hex Snape until he apologizes for every douche-y thing he's ever done."

Sirius barked a laugh, shaking his head, "That'd take a while."

"Yeah," Marina looked down at her hands. "Also, I guess I haven't been as, you know, er, _active_ as I used to be."

Sirius snorted, "Yeah, I've noticed."

Marina raised an eyebrow, "Did you?"

"'Course," Sirius shrugged, "You always had this overly content look on your face at breakfast the next morning. I haven't seen that look in a while."

Marina's jaw dropped, "I do _not_!"

Sirius rolled his eyes, "Trust me, you do. I don't think your brother's noticed though, so at least you have that going for you."

Marina stared at him for a moment, shaking her head in awe until she found herself letting out a stream of giggles. She almost spit out the Mandrake leaf on accident, but she managed to keep it in her mouth as she calmed her breathing. She would certainly have to remember that in the future, how _embarrassing_!

"Well," she chuckled, "I'm sorry that you ever had to see that look, but you know, you have a tell, too."

At that, Sirius' amused look faltered, "And what's that?"

Marina leaned forward, staring him straight in the eyes, "You're a huge prat."

"Fair enough," Sirius laughed, shaking his head. Suddenly he stopped, thinking for a moment before asking, "You planning on changing that?"

Marina's eyebrows furrowed, "You being a prat?"

"No," he shook his head, "How... _active_ you're being."

Marina paused to think, unsure. On one hand, she didn't not enjoy the moments she spent with the handful of guys from around Hogwarts, but she wasn't sure she wanted to continue her habits.

"I don't know," Marina frowned. "I guess, if it were the right person, I would, but right now... I suppose I can't imagine doing it for just fun."

Sirius nodded, "That makes sense."

The boy leaned back against the armchair, pondering her words. Sirius got around, yes, but he wasn't insensitive. He ensured that every girl he was with understood his motives before they engaged in any kind of activity. Sirius knew he was using other girls to keep him occupied instead of facing the issue that had been glaring at him since first year. Every time Marina was found with some older Gryffindor or random Hufflepuff, Sirius busied himself with someone else.

"I'm the same," Sirius suddenly said, surprising even himself.

Marina's eyes widened, "Really? But you—"

"I know you don't want to hear this," Sirius began, "but Marina, we've matured."

Marina laughed, shaking her head, "I'll believe it when I see it."

"You'll see it at the Halloween party next week," Sirius countered, looking smug.

Marina scoffed, "Please. You never leave the Halloween party without someone."

"Neither do you," Sirius retorted, smirking.

"Touché," Marina's eyes narrowed. "Fine. Let's shake on it."

Sirius' eyebrows furrowed, "Shake on what?"

"Come the Halloween party, we will not randomly hook up with anyone for any reason," Marina proposed, smirking.

"Or?" Sirius smiled, already enjoying the idea.

"Or..." Marina thought for a moment, "you owe the other person five Galleons."

Sirius scoffed, "That's nothing. I'll give you five Galleons right now to hook up with you. Give me something better."

"I think that's called prostitution," Marina snorted, but her cheeks were tinged red after his sarcastic flirt. "Fine, whatever, you pick."

Sirius thought for a moment, "If I win... you have to announce your love for Peter to the Great Hall—"

"Oh Merlin, not Peter again, he doesn't deserve that," Marina shook her head. "He has too big of a crush on me."

Sirius scowled, "That's his fault."

" _Sirius_!"

"Alright fine, Remus then," Sirius laughed, "The look on his face—"

"He won't even be there, remember? The full moon will be that night, he'd be in the Hospital Wing all day that day," Marina rolled her eyes. "What am I even saying, it's not like I'm going to cave and hook up—"

"Me," Sirius' mouth tilted up into a crooked smile, "You have to announce to the Great Hall your undying love for me."

Marina stared at the boy, but he stared back, challenging her to argue. If there was one flaw Marina had, it was her pride. The girl never seemed to back down, and despite its issues that it caused for her at times, it was one of Sirius' favorite things about her.

"Fine," Marina replied evenly. "Same goes for you if you cave. It would be nice to hear you profess your eternal love for me in a room surrounded by everyone in the school."

Sirius' eyes widened, and he suddenly realized that he might not have thought the deal through, but it wasn't like he would lose the bet.

Marina laughed at the look on his face, "I'm just kidding. I don't know why you always seem to come up with the most embarrassing things—"

"Can't be worse than Peter streaking through the Gryffindor Common Room during the party two years ago," Sirius shrugged. "I just have a gift."

"That you do," Marina agreed, shaking her head.

The girl finally closed her book, realizing she wasn't going to get much more studying done.

"What were you working on?" Sirius asked casually, and the two fell back into a more normal conversation.

✱✱✱✱✱

Another week passed full of anticipation for Halloween. Marina was practically bursting with excitement. Her professors were starting to become less concerned about the girl's recurring silence and more annoyed with her lack of ability to communicate. As it turned out, one needs to be able to speak to perform some spells, and since she couldn't, it was annoying to say the least. Because of this, Marina began to learn nonverbal magic, and she was proud to learn that she was pretty good at it. Nonverbal spells were Seventh Year curriculum, but she had most basic spells mastered within the month she was forced to keep quiet.

"Ready for the party tonight, Potter?" Benjy asked her during Charms class that day.

Marina paused for a moment before shrugging in nonchalance. She hadn't realized that Benjy was invited.

The boy chuckled, "I bet you didn't know I've been invited, being a Ravenclaw and all."

Marina smiled guiltily and nodded.

"Your brother actually invited me," he replied simply.

Marina's eyes widened, and she turned to glare at James from across the room. He noticed her stare and waved, a smug grin on his face.

"Should be fun," Benjy shrugged, "Maybe you could try Pomfrey again before the Feast and all. It must suck not being able to talk for what, like three weeks now?"

Marina held up four fingers.

"Bloody hell, a whole month," Benjy laughed, shaking his head. "It must be killing you."

 _You have no idea,_ Marina frowned.

After class, Benjy caught Marina's arm on her way out.

"Er—" the boy looked less confident than usual, and Marina raised an eyebrow in question. "Well, see you at the party."

Marina nodded once, sending the boy a bright smile on her way out the door.

 _Boys,_ she shrugged to herself and joined James and Sirius on the way to their next class.

✱✱✱✱✱

Sirius grabbed the firewhiskey from the Marauders' secret stash in their dorm and headed down the stairs to the Common Room. It was a little past ten o'clock, and the party was only just getting started. Sirius was annoyed to discover the assortment of Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs also in attendance, but decided it made sense—the Marauders always did throw the best parties.

"Sirius!" a voice whispered, tugging on his arm. Marina looked around for any sign of anyone that could see her talking, though she seemed slightly less concerned with the consequences now that it would be fixed the day after. The girl smiled mischievously, "I've already had three shots of firewhiskey! And it's only ten-ten!"

"Ten-ten?" Sirius smirked. "Are you stating the time or describing the two of us?"

Marina's happy-tipsy face turned into one of confusion.

Sirius sighed, shrugging, "Two perfect tens? Never mind, my lines don't always work."

"Oh!" Marina exclaimed, bursting into laughter. "I get it! Because we're both really hot!"

Sirius laughed, "That's right, Mar."

"Hey," a smooth voice greeted them. Benjy Fenwick nodded at Sirius before looking at the slightly inebriated Marina. "How's it going?"

"Good!" Marina replied unthinkingly before clapping a hand over her mouth, "Oops!"

Sirius shook his head, putting his head in his hands, "Marina..."

Benjy smirked, "I figured Madam Pomfrey figured out how to put you back to normal when I saw you two laughing over here."

"Yep!" Marina agreed quickly, "That's what it is! She's a genius that woman."

Sirius took a swig of the bottle of firewhiskey as he stood conversing with both Benjy and the newly chatty Marina.

"Ooh! There's Lily!" Marina put a hand on Sirius' arm and pointed, eyes wide, "I'm gonna go tell her that James is in love with her—"

Marina took off before Sirius could stop her, but honestly, he didn't think it was the worst idea. Maybe Lily would get it into her head that she should get over herself and get to know James for who he is. That'd be a sight.

When Sirius returned to the present company, he frowned automatically.

"You like Marina," Sirius took another swig, staring the boy down.

Benjy's eyes widened, but he didn't falter, "Yes, I think she's pretty great."

"She is," Sirius agreed coldly. "I don't wanna be cliché, but if you hurt her, I'll hurt you. Remember that when you ask her to Hogsmeade and she politely declines."

Benjy's eyes narrowed, "You like her, too."

"It's not about 'like,'" Sirius rolled his eyes, sick of the childish conversation already. "It's about my best friend—not James—Marina. If you screw with her, she'll come to us, and we'll unleash hell on you."

"Alright," Benjy nodded, though he still looked suspicious, "but for the record, I don't have any plans to hurt her."

"No one ever has _plans_ to hurt anyone, unless you're a serial killer or have a weird kink," Sirius deadpanned. "I'm glad to know that neither are the case here."

With that, the boy took another swig of firewhiskey and left Benjy to his thoughts.

Without even trying, Sirius' eyes landed on Marina dancing in the middle of the Common Room with Lily and Marlene, laughing with a bright smile on her face. The deep red dress she was wearing complimented her skin tone and though it was short, it still left much to be imagined.

"Hey," a meek voice spoke behind him, causing him to reluctantly avert his eyes from the scene before him.

Mary Macdonald stood by the table to his right, obviously just mustering up the courage to say hello.

Sirius didn't spend more than a second glancing at her before returning to his drink, "Hi Mary."

Mary's eyes followed his to where Marina was dancing. The girl reluctantly asked, "How're you doing?"

Sirius scoffed, "Spectacular, thanks."

"You're almost seventeen, right?" Mary cleared her throat and stepped closer, "Your birthday's next week?"

"Is that a question?" Sirius raised an eyebrow, turning to look at her again.

"Er, no," Mary winced. "Erm, you gonna have another party for your birthday then?"

Sirius shrugged, "Probably. Two weeks in a row sounds like something we'd do, but if it's like this again, maybe not."

"What do you mean, like this?" Mary asked quizzically, genuinely interested.

A loud cheer echoed through the room as James landed his final ball in beer pong, beating Peter. Sirius only smirked in recognition before returning to Mary's question.

"I dunno, this party's just been rather dull, I suppose," Sirius frowned. Mary took a deep breath; this was her chance.

"Well, I could make it more interesting for you," the girl said, an attempt at flirting.

Sirius took another look at the girl. Obviously, she wanted to get some action, though why she'd choose the sulking guy in the corner of the party was a mystery to him.

"Sorry, Mary," Sirius sighed, sneaking another glance at Marina. "Not in the mood."

Mary's chest tightened, the sting of rejection setting in, "O-Oh, alright."

"Not that you're not fit," Sirius shrugged, taking another once-over of the girl. "I just don't do that shit anymore, sorry. If you're looking for someone, try Benjy Fenwick. I hear he's a real catch."

Another swig.

Mary nodded, feeling a bit lighter now that Sirius said that she was fit, but still put-out that he wouldn't snog her. How much did the other girls have to work to get Sirius Black to hook up with them? She assumed not much.

"Benjy Fenwick, huh?" Mary pressed, taking a step closer. "What'd he ever do to you?"

Sirius sighed, "Absolutely nothing."

"Liar," the girl smirked, a bit of confidence seeping into her voice. She decided this conversation was going well. Before, she couldn't get much past the first hello.

Sirius turned to look at her completely, giving her a look resembling a mix of annoyance and amusement, "I don't lie—"

Suddenly, another cheer erupted, and the two turned to see Marina and Benjy kissing in the middle of the dance floor. Mary's eyes widened, and she wanted to be angry that Marina was making out with one of the most sought after boys in school, but she couldn't because she was too happy to be talking to Sirius.

Sirius' eyes turned hard, and he took another long swig of firewhiskey. He accidentally locked eyes with Remus across the room, who was wearing a look of pity.

"On second thought, Mary," Sirius' eyes were still emotionless, "Let's go."

"Wait, really?" Mary's eyes widened for the second time, "A-Are you sure?"

Sirius took another swig of firewhiskey, and Mary could see the determination in his eyes as he grabbed her swiftly and calmly by the hand and led her toward his dorm room.

✱✱✱✱✱

James hadn't been at the party for more than an hour or so, and he had already beaten Remus and Peter at beer pong. He tried not to look over at Lily whom he knew was dancing in the middle of the Common Room alongside his sister. Her red hair tossed back and forth, catching James' attention out of the corner of his eye and rendering him unable to focus. It wasn't until he knew Lily was no longer dancing that he was able to relax, but then he realized that she was no longer in the room. Assuming she had gone to bed, James returned to the party determined to have a good time.

At some point, he watched as Benjy Fenwick publicly snogged his sister, and he decided it was time to get some air. He left the sweaty, people-filled Common Room and went into the hallway. The corridor was silent, and he was able to take a deep breath and relax without the company of others, something he desperately needed when living in a dorm with the always dramatic Sirius Black.

He walked a bit in one direction, not even realizing his feet were moving him, until he reached a small bench in an alcove of the stairs at the end of the corridor. Usually, he sat there for a couple moments in the night, using the map to ensure none of the patrolling Prefects found him, but tonight, the space was occupied.

A red-haired girl laid on the bench, arms crossed over her chest. James' eyes widened, realizing that Lily seemed to be asleep.

"Whoever you are, I know you're there," Lily called out, still not opening her eyes. "You breathe really loud."

"Sorry, Evans," James apologized, but for what he wasn't sure. "I didn't know you were here—"

"Potter?" Lily opened her eyes, turning to sit up. "What are you doing here?"

"I usually come here to get away from all the craziness every once in a while. I guess I didn't realize it was taken tonight," James explained. "I'll leave you to it."

He turned to go, but was surprised to hear Lily call out, "No, wait!"

He froze, eyes widening. She wanted him... to wait?

"Y-Yeah?" he finally choked out.

"This is where I used to go when I got so mad at you or Marina or Severus that I couldn't breathe," Lily softly replied. "Most students here seem to just move past it."

James nodded, "Right, yeah. Sorry."

"Sorry for what?" Lily asked, confused.

"Well, er, for making you mad enough that you couldn't breathe," James ran a hand through his hair.

"Really?" Lily asked, raising an eyebrow. "Thanks, Potter."

"I think this is the longest civil conversation we've ever had," James announced, shaking his head in awe.

Lily snorted, "Well, you're not being an obnoxious pig right now, so—"

James interrupted her, laughing and shaking his head, "Fair."

"—but this was my spot first, just saying," Lily continued, shrugging.

James' eyes narrowed, "I came here the first week of first year. Beat that, Evans."

"First day," Lily smirked. "I was so homesick I needed to escape my dorm. I didn't know where to go so I just stopped here."

"Aw," James smirked back. "The little Lily-kins got homesick?"

"A Muggleborn on her first day in a castle in the middle of nowhere surrounded by magic spells and a talking hat?" Lily rolled her eyes. "Tell me homesickness is uncommon, I dare you."

James shrugged, a smile on his face, "Also fair. Peter cried through the entire first week here alone; we couldn't believe he was sorted into Gryffindor at the time."

Lily smiled and shook her head, "He sure has proven himself, hasn't he?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" James' eyes narrowed, sensing a double meaning behind her words.

Lily shrugged, "Nothing."

Silence.

Suddenly, James began to chuckle softly, causing Lily to tilt her head in confusion.

"Of course you know," James shook his head, looking down at his feet. He took a few steps closer to the bench before feeling bold enough to sit down next to the girl.

"Know what?" Lily challenged.

"You know I can't say," James sent her a look, rolling his eyes. "Just know that I'm not surprised that you were able to figure it out. You really are the smartest witch in our year, I never doubted that."

"Thank you," Lily's eyes widened at the compliment. "By the way I think that what you're doing is stupid and reckless."

"It's not about me," James shrugged, leaning his back against the wall.

Lily felt something inside her shift. _Not about him?_ Since when? This boy was not the James Potter she knew and loathed for years. He was suddenly calm and decent while talking to her instead of casting random teasing and flirty remarks at her while his friends laughed. What _happened_? And why did she actually like talking to this James?

"That's a first," she heard herself say. It was instinct, a reflex she'd grown accustomed to when speaking to James Potter.

James rolled his eyes, and he felt himself stand up despite it being the last thing he wanted to do. It had to end at some point, right? He was shocked when he heard her voice again.

"Wait, Potter—" Lily reached out and grabbed his hand to stop him. "I'm sorry. It's just what I'm used to, I suppose."

"I get it," James nodded, eyes wide and staring down at the place where her hand grabbed his.

"Good," Lily mimicked his nod.

The boy stood there for a moment, unsure if he should leave or not.

His answer was given to him in the form of a question, "So, why'd you come out here in the first place? Any particular reason?"

James scoffed, crossing his arms, "Benjy Fenwick started snogging my sister in the middle of the party. I didn't need to see that."

Lily burst out laughing, "No way! I never thought the boy would get the guts to do that with you and Sirius acting like Marina's guard dogs."

"Whatever, I guess he's a nice guy," James bit his tongue, struggling with holding back a dog joke. "I kinda talked her into getting with him a while ago because he seemed alright, but—"

"Wait, you told Marina to date him?" Lily's eyes were wide. "What did Sirius say?"

James was confused, "What does Sirius have to do with anything?"

Lily's eyes practically burst out of her head, "You're _kidding_."

"What? No, I'm not kidding," James looked even more confused.

Lily contemplated telling the boy, but she realized she couldn't do that to Sirius despite the fact that she was sure he didn't like her. He obviously hadn't told James his feelings for a reason, likely because Marina was his sister. Sometimes it hurt to be more intuitive than others; it made keeping secrets a necessary skill for survival.

"I suppose I can't tell you," Lily winced. "It's not my secret to tell."

James nodded respectfully, "I get that. I have enough of those to keep myself."

Lily smiled, and James took the seat beside her again, sick of standing. Lily snuck another look at the boy, unsure of what to say. Biting her lip to hide an awkward smile, she shook her head.

"This is weird," she finally spoke again.

"Us talking like normal human beings?" James clarified. Lily nodded, and he shrugged, "This is all I've ever wanted. You just always seemed like the kind of person I'd want to get to know."

Lily smiled, "If you had said something like that, maybe I would've talked to you sooner."

James laughed, "Yeah, maybe, but did pretty much hate me because of Sniv—Snape."

Lily stiffened, "Well, you did pick on him incessantly."

James shook his head, "It wasn't just me—"

"Yes, I know," Lily rolled her eyes, "You got your whole group in on it, too, even Marina—"

"No," James interrupted, determined to make her understand, "I wasn't always the one who initiated it."

Lily frowned, "What?"

"Snivellus would hex us when our backs were turned, we would just return the favor half the time," James sighed. He didn't know if she'd even believe him, or if it was worth caring if she believed him or not. "Granted, we started some fights, but not all."

"Well, you still shouldn't gang up—" Lily defended herself.

"Look, believe what you want," James decided, leaning back against the wall, "but Snivellus wasn't a victim. He just played the part really well, especially around you."

Lily bit her tongue, frowning as she replied, "I get it, I do, but hearing you defend yourself—"

"I'm not," James interrupted, not able to stop himself from rolling his eyes. He turned his head to see Lily's confused face. "What we did to him was terrible, and it was just stooping down to his own level. We should have been the bigger people, but how else were we supposed to learn to not to be arseholes when we get older?"

Lily stared at him for a moment, seemingly in shock. How could he have diminished every ounce of resentment she had for him with such a short conversation. It felt as though what had happened between James and Severus all those years at Hogwarts had been downgraded to nothing more than an immature rivalry between children. Maybe that is all it was.

She leaned back against the wall beside him, unable to stop the words coming out of her mouth as she thought them: "You are not the same person you were two years ago, James Potter."

James smiled and looked down, "I know."

James tried not to think about how close Lily's hand was resting on the bench next to his own. He couldn't believe he was having an actual conversation that hadn't ended in her yelling insults at him. It felt like a dream, but the cold air of the corridor at night assured him it wasn't.

"I have a proposal for you," Lily spoke, breaking the silence.

"Yes, I'll marry you, Lily Evans," James smirked, unable to resist.

Lily scoffed and rolled her eyes, "Fine, never mind then."

"No, tell me," James said, still chuckling at her annoyed look.

"A while ago I told myself I would get to know Marina better. Er, because I sort of excluded her for being your sister," Lily winced as she said it, and James clenched his jaw hearing her say it out loud. "But, I realized that it wasn't fair to do that simply because of your actions."

"A real saint, you are," James rolled his eyes. He still wasn't sure how forgiven she was for that, but he supposed it was his fault, too. Marina would defend him to the ends of the earth, and he for her. Still, he and his friends put her in that position far more times than she did.

"And now," Lily tried to ignore the guilt as she spoke, "I'd say she's one of my best friends. I've told her things I haven't told anyone before. She seems to get me more than even Mary, Dorcas, or Marlene."

"What does realizing your mistake about my sister have to do with me?" James crossed his arms, frowning.

"I want to get to know you," Lily stated, more confident than she felt.

"You want to be friends?" James' heart skipped a beat. "With me?"

"If you promise to never ask me out again," Lily joked, rolling her eyes. "Yes, I believe I do. I think I could learn a little thing or two about judging people too early, and maybe you can learn something from me about self-control."

"Well, if you can't teach me self-control then no one can," James muttered, not entirely joking, but Lily laughed all the same.

"So, what do you say?" she smiled.

"You've got yourself a deal, Evans," James returned her smile, though on the inside he was filled with butterflies. "Friends."

Lily grinned, "Friends."


	7. Not A Marauder

Marina woke up the morning of the full moon with an intense hangover, but it wasn't anything she hadn't dealt with before. A couple of her perfected headache and dehydration charms, and she was as good as new. The boys had begged her to teach them the charms when she found them, but they still weren't able to do them as well as she did. 

The girl rubbed her forehead and looked around her room. She felt around her mouth for the leaf, happy it was still resting under her tongue. Her eyes widened as the events of the night before flashed through her mind—oh yeah, Benjy!

Suddenly distressed that she might have lost the bet with Sirius, she scanned her room again, but she found only her roommates. Marina sighed in relief, she guessed that he left before the night ended. He didn't seem like the type to do it on the first date, if that was even considered a date.

A date! Marina facepalmed. Benjy had invited her to Hogsmeade that weekend for a real, sit-down date at the end of the evening. When was the last time she went on one of those?

Slowly pulling herself to her feet, she began to get ready for that day. It was Saturday morning, at approximately eleven o'clock, as her watch told her. She would have missed breakfast by a long shot, but lunch started soon. Lily and Marlene were nowhere to be seen, same with Mary, but Dorcas, the other late sleeper, was drooling into her pillow in the bed farthest from hers.

Marina grabbed her jean jacket and closed the door quietly on her way out, trying not to wake her sleeping roommate. As she stepped into the hallway, she ran into a disheveled Mary holding her dress from the night before. She was wearing a black button-down shirt that thankfully covered everything just above her knees. Marina could've sworn she recognized the button-down, but she discarded the thought: it was just a common shirt.

"Mary?" Marina's eyes widened, surprised. She started laughing at the sight of her, knowing that despite her own indiscretions, she'd never find herself looking like Mary did. Marina smirked and leaned against the door frame, blocking her entrance to the dorm, "How are you this fine morning?"

"Oh, fuck off, Marina," Mary growled, trying to push past her. "Like you haven't spent the night with everyone else in the castle."

"If I had, I would be sneakier than you getting back into my dorm at this time of the morning," Marina shrugged, still smiling. "You're lucky I live with you, imagine one of the first years coming across you looking like this!"

Mary blushed, shaking her head, "Could you just let me through?"

"Alright, but only because I like you, Mary," Marina laughed and moved to the side, letting her in. Mary rolled her eyes, huffing as she bumped Marina in the shoulder.

As Mary passed, Marina caught a whiff of a familiar cologne. The Potter girl frowned in concentration; she recognized it.

The summer before last, Marina went with her brother and Sirius as they tried all sorts of Muggle inventions that James was sure were going to convince Lily to finally go out with him. One of them happened to be the Muggle men's cologne section of the nearest mall in London. Marina was dragged into helping the boys determine which one was the best for attracting the "ladies." She helped Sirius pick one out that she found particularly aromatic, not that he needed help in his romantic endeavors. The boy proudly wore that cologne everywhere he went for the rest of the summer, and even brought it to Hogwarts.

Marina froze, Sirius slept with Mary? It wasn't hard to figure out that Mary had a crush on Sirius, but Marina assumed it was simply infatuation. But... _Mary_? He'd never slept with one of her roommates before, and the thought of it made her sick. Somehow, Marina felt worse than usual unsettling feeling that she got whenever she heard about what (or who) Sirius did in his free time. Her stomach felt like it was being squeezed, and Marina felt her fists clench.

Overcome with an odd sense of fury, she marched up the stairs to the Marauders' bedroom. She knocked so hard that her knuckle actually hurt when she pulled her hand away.

"What?" Sirius' eyes were unfocused, still sleepy, as he opened the door. Marina pushed past him into the room and saw that they were alone. Sirius closed the door behind her, but still looked confused.

Marina gaped at him, "You slept with Mary Macdonald!"

Sirius frowned when he seemed to recognize it was her, "What's it to you?"

Marina's eyebrows shot up, "What's it to _me_? Well—"

Marina cut herself off; what _was_ it to her? She hadn't lectured him about the girls he brought back to his room before. Why was Mary suddenly different? The girl was simply another groupie, why did it bother her so much?

"This isn't about the bet, is it? Because I saw you with Benjy Fenwick, there's no way you can lecture me about this when you've gone and done the same thing," Sirius crossed his arms, a look of distaste on his face.

Marina's eyes widened. She had completely forgotten about the bet once she'd seen Mary. Without giving herself another second to think about what reason she had for being upset, she jumped on the one presented to her.

"I didn't sleep with Benjy, you prick!" Marina retorted, eyes blazing. "Which means that you lost the bet! And you know what that means—"

Sirius scoffed, "I'm not doing that."

"You are," Marina glared, her pride getting the best of her. "You lost, and you know the Marauders' code when it comes to lost bets."

Sirius glared back. His cheeks were turning red as he considered the possibility of announcing to the Great Hall his very real love he had for Marina Potter.

"I am _not_ doing it," Sirius looked down. "How am I supposed to know that you didn't sleep with Benjy anyway?"

Marina spluttered, "Wh—Because I don't lose bets, like apparently you do! You know, I honestly thought we'd both make it through unscathed, but the Marauder rules state—"

"Who fucking cares about the rules! You're not even a Marauder—" Sirius cut himself off, biting his tongue.

Marina opened and closed her mouth, trying to speak.

"Mar, you know what I mean—" Sirius tried to amend his mistake.

"No, you're right," Marina shook her head, taking a step back. "I wasn't here on the first day when you all came together, I was too _busy_ in the girl's dormitories where I belong. I wasn't here when you four stayed up until the light hours of the morning talking about anything and everything, because I was too busy getting chewed out by Lily for defending your arses. I wasn't included in the Animagi plan in third year, but we all know whose fault that is," Marina scoffed. "But you know what? I _was_ there when you came to my house in the middle of the night when you had nowhere else to go. I was there when we figured out that Remus was a werewolf. I was there when no one else was there to defend Peter from all those Slytherin arseholes. And, I was there that first day on the train. I was the first friend you made here, and I know James, Remus, and Peter hold the position as your best friends, but I thought I was at least important enough to be considered one of them."

"You are!" Sirius exclaimed, frustrated. "But—just listen, Mar, I..."

His mouth hung open, unable to form the words that he knew would change everything.

"It's all right, Sirius," Marina replied stiffly. "I understand now. And, I'll see you later."

She left the door open on her way out, but Sirius didn't move to close it. The boy simply stared after her, unable to do anything to change what happened.

✱✱✱✱✱

At lunch that day, Marina decided to sit with Lily and Marlene, much to their confusion. Marina usually sat with the boys at meals, but it seemed that she needed a break. Lily and Marlene shared a look, and Marlene simply shrugged, gesturing for Lily to ask.

"Something wrong?" Lily finally spoke.

"Nope, just the usual," Marina lied, but the two didn't push. "You know how boys are."

The three went back to eating and didn't talk about it again. They weren't the only ones who noticed Marina's sudden absence from the Marauders' section of the table. James saw his sister look less herself than usual and paired it with her refusal to sit with the group of boys to mean that one of them did something to piss her off, and he had an inkling he knew which one.

Sirius was stabbing his food with his fork, avoiding eye contact with James and overall wishing he was anywhere else.

That night, James and Marina met in the Marauders' room to finish the potion and finally get rid of the Mandrake leaf. As he moved the already brewed potion into the moonlight, he looked up at her.

"So," he began, watching her carefully, "why didn't you sit with us today?"

Marina shrugged, expecting the question, "No reason. Sirius just said something that kinda pissed me off, but I suppose he's right."

"Right about what?" James questioned.

Marina dodged the question with a frown, "When do we need to put the Mandrake leaf in exactly?"

"When the moon hits its peak again, just like when you first put it in your mouth," James explained, getting the ingredients ready. He organized them carefully, ensuring he had everything he needed for the potion to work, "I'm not letting you change the topic that easily. What's he apparently right about?"

Marina sighed, picking at her nails, "He said I wasn't a 'Marauder.'"

James' eyes widened, and he frowned, "What? Of course you are—"

"No, I'm not, James," Marina insisted, shaking her head. "There's just something that you guys have that I don't. You know it, too. It's the reason why you didn't let me help Remus back in third year. It has always been you four, and I've just been there as the sister who tagged along. Sirius told me himself."

James shook his head, "You may not be a boy, and honestly, I think I'd be worse off if you were one, but you are one of us. You and Sirius, though I hate to admit it, have some weird bond that even I can't understand and he's my best mate. You were the one who figured out that Remus was a werewolf even though you insist it was all of us together who pieced it together—"

"It wasn't just me, you were the first to notice something was different—"

"—I rest my case," James smirked. "Not to mention Peter has a huge crush on you. You _are_ a Marauder. It's obvious that Sirius was just mad."

Marina scoffed, "About what? The fact that he was the one who lost the bet? I guess that would make sense, but—"

"What bet?" James asked.

"Er," Marina winced. "I bet him that he couldn't go the Halloween party without hooking up with anyone, and he bet me the same. He thought I hooked up with Benjy—which I did _not_ —and he actually did hook up with Mary Macdonald."

"Mary Macdonald?" James' eyes widened. "What the hell for?"

Marina frowned, returning to her previously sullen mood, "I don't know, apparently it's none of my business anymore."

"What? Of course it is, you two are literally best friends," James shook his head, not having any of what Marina was saying. "Why would he be mad at you, though?"

"I don't know!" Marina exclaimed. "I mean, I was upset when I went to see him, and I started talking about the party and, er, you know, kissing Benjy—"

"Yeah, you two weren't very subtle," James smirked.

Marina rolled her eyes, "He was mad because he thought I lost the bet by hooking up with Benjy, but I didn't!"

"Wait, he was mad because he thought you hooked up with Benjy," James repeated, deep in thought.

"Yeah, but we didn't do anything except, I don't know, talk about stuff. Then he kissed me—" Marina shook her head. "I guess Sirius was just pissed he lost the bet even though he thought he didn't."

But James had already come to a different conclusion. Was this what Lily meant the night before about a secret she couldn't tell? The something about Sirius and Marina? James froze; his best friend had a crush on his sister?

" _Oh_ ," James turned to Marina again, and he watched as a confused look came across her face. "Er, I'm sure that's it, 'Rina. Padfoot just doesn't like losing. He'll get over it soon enough."

James' mind was racing. He couldn't figure out why Sirius hadn't told him. They were best friends and spent most of their time together; a better question would be why hadn't James even noticed?

The boy looked away from his sister again, pretending to work on the potion. Did Marina reciprocate Sirius' feelings? James didn't know, and he certainly couldn't ask. The only person he felt like he could safely talk to was none other than Lily Evans, who he knew would also know about them. James felt a fluttering feeling in the pit of his stomach at the prospect of having another friendly conversation with the redheaded girl.

"James?" Marina was looking outside. "Is it almost time?"

"Almost," James glanced out the window. "I need to stir this counterclockwise thirteen times, then add this last ingredient. Peter found it—it's dew that hasn't ever been stepped on. He went into the middle of the Forbidden Forest for it, so be sure to thank him the next time you see him, I'm sure he'll be ecstatic."

Marina laughed, "I hope he gets over that little crush he has on me, but I will, thanks James."

James hesitated as he finished his last stir, "Why's that?"

"I don't know. We're such good friends, I'd hate for something as minuscule as a crush to screw it up," Marina shrugged. "Plus, I couldn't ever see him as anything besides a friend."

James looked down, grabbing the last ingredient. So, she wouldn't ever consider one of her friends someone she could be with. James wondered if that was why Sirius never acted on his feelings; he knew that Sirius had never been shy, so why was he holding back now?

The Potter boy let out an annoyed sigh and he tipped the vial of dew into the cauldron, finishing the potion up until the final step.

"What time is it?" he asked, dismissing his thoughts of Sirius.

"You have a watch," Marina reminded him, but checked hers. "Twelve thirty-seven."

"Four minutes," James smiled, proud of his timing. "You know, you talked a lot more than either of the three of us did the entire month we had the Mandrake leaf."

Marina rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue where the Mandrake leaf sat, "Well, I have managed to speak without spitting, I can't say the same about you three. I still can't believe I didn't notice, I just went along with it."

James scoffed, "Minnie didn't. She kept trying to get us to talk in class by directing questions at us. She was starting to notice something was up, and knowing her expertise is Transfiguration, I'm sure she's already figured it out."

Marina's jaw dropped, "Really? But wouldn't she—"

"Turn us into the Ministry and have us sent to Azkaban?" James shot her a look.

"Yeah, good point," Marina laughed. "She sure loves us. Thank you Quidditch."

James' eyes visibly brightened, "Speaking of Quidditch, the game's next week! Have you been looking over the plays I wrote out during last training—"

"Yes, I have," Marina smirked. "You know, I may not be as obsessed with Quidditch as you are, but I am just as competitive. Plus, we play Ravenclaw first, and I am not going to let Prissy Priscilla beat me to the Snitch."

James smiled brightly, satisfied with her answer. The boy glanced out the window one more time and checked his watch. It was exactly twelve forty-two.

"Alright, take the leaf from your mouth and make sure it touches the moon's rays before you put it in the potion," James instructed, nodding to his sister.

Marina obeyed, making sure to be careful with the spit-soaked leaf. As she placed it in the cauldron, it dissolved immediately.

The girl frowned, "After all that, it's just gone? Kind of a waste of time, if you ask me."

James smiled softly, "That's exactly what Sirius said."

Marina rolled her eyes, but a small hint of a smile graced her lips, "Now what?"

"Okay, this is important," James looked serious. "Every day, starting tonight, before you fall asleep and when you wake up every morning, your first and last words must be 'Amato Animo Animato Animagus.' Got it?"

Marina nodded, "When do I drink the potion?"

"Next new moon," James replied, looking into the cauldron. "I did it right, thank Merlin, so everything should go as planned. But don't forget, every day until the new moon, your first and last words."

Marina nodded again, "Got it."

"Alright," James got up and moved the cauldron into a cupboard with a lock. He then proceeded to cover the cupboard with a black fabric. "The potion can't see sunlight or else it will no longer work, and we'd have to start over. We used this cupboard our third year to store the potion because it faces away from the window, but now we just use it to hide firewhiskey. We've moved our stash for you."

Marina smiled, placing a hand over her heart, "How sweet."

"I know right," James smirked. "Anyway, it should be safe there."

"Cool," Marina smiled. "Thanks, then. I never thought I'd enjoy spending time working on a potion, but you're good company."

"And you, too," James replied. "You should try to get some sleep before classes tomorrow."

"Are you going to stay up and wait for them?" Marina asked, referring to the boys.

James shrugged, looking out the window, "They have about a half an hour until the moon's low enough that Moony would transform back. I thought I'd wait up."

"Alright, but get the boys to sleep immediately after they get back?" Marina's smile wavered as she stopped by the door. "And tell Sirius he doesn't need to worry about the bet. He doesn't have to do the consequence."

James' eyebrows furrowed, "Oh, right. I never even asked. What was the consequence?"

Marina shook her head, frowning, "Just tell him he's off the hook."

With that, she left her brother alone in his room to wait for his friends, leaving James to only wonder what Sirius got away with.

✱✱✱✱✱

Sirius climbed the stairs to his dorm room slowly, overcome with exhaustion. His eyes lingered on the girl's dormitories for just a moment before he continued to his own room. He opened the door to find James sitting by the window, looking outside. The Potter boy turned his head to see Sirius standing alone in the doorway.

James looked behind him for a moment, "Where's Peter?"

"He fell off my back while I was running," Sirius frowned. "Personally, I think he's being a little overdramatic, but he seems to think he's broken his arm. I'd say a broken pinkie is the closest he'll get, maybe they'll saw it off—"

"Do you like my sister?" James interrupted, unable to keep it in.

Sirius' eyes widened, and his jaw hung open in shock. Suddenly very aware that the dorm room door was still open, he swung it closed, making a loud slamming sound.

"Padfoot—" James tried.

"How did you find out? Did Remus tell you?" Sirius swore under his breath, shaking his head.

"Moony knows and I don't?" James asked, slightly hurt. "She's my sister!"

"I know!" Sirius almost yelled, running a hand through his hair. "I wasn't going to do anything, I swear. I didn't even want you do find out."

"Why not?" James frowned.

"Look," Sirius shook his head, not answering, "I never actually told Moony, but you know how he is. I think Evans knows, too, but I definitely never told her."

"Why not?" James repeated.

Sirius looked exasperated, "She's your sister! And I—I just couldn't tell anyone, especially not Marina."

"It's not like you haven't had girlfriends before," James sat down on his bed.

"She isn't like them," Sirius scoffed at the mere idea. "She's been my best friend since first year. I would never screw that up, especially since she doesn't feel the same way."

"Okay, but how do you know that?" James pushed. "You haven't even asked her!"

"But do you know what even asking her would do?" Sirius shook his head, pacing around the room with wild eyes. "Merlin, I can't believe this is happening right now. I haven't talked to anyone about this _ever_ —"

"Get over it," James commanded. "I'm your best friend, too. I'm here to get you through the tough shit. Now, liking a girl is something your best friend helps you with. How many times have I gone to you about Evans?"

"It's different," Sirius was still in denial. "Merlin, I don't even know how to explain it—"

"It's not different—" James interrupted.

"Well, you've never been in love with your best mate's sister!" Sirius spoke harshly. "If this went wrong somehow, I wouldn't just lose her, I'd lose you, too!"

James was silent. A moment passed, filled with the sound of Sirius' panicked breathing.

"You love her?" James whispered.

Sirius' head shot up. Another moment passed.

"Yeah," Sirius' voice broke. "I thought you knew that."

"I-I just thought you liked her!" James fumbled for words. "I didn't know you were bloody in love with her!"

Sirius was having a hard time focusing on his friend. He was busy trying to manage his own emotions.

"Sirius," James began; the lack of his nickname made him wince, "you're just about the best I could hope for my sister, you know that right?"

Sirius looked up, "You're not even mad? At all?"

"Of course not. You can't help it," James chuckled humorlessly. "Besides, I suppose my sister is okay looking in a certain light."

Sirius' mouth twitched.

"But, you are a bit of an arsehole sometimes, and you don't really think before you speak," James shrugged. "When you get defensive, you lash out. My sister isn't like that. She does everything she can to see both sides, she's outrageously empathetic. Today, you made her feel like she wasn't a true Marauder when she's been by my side longer than anyone else."

Sirius looked down, "I was just mad—"

"That she slept with Benjy Fenwick, even when she didn't," James nodded. "Yeah, I heard. She said that all they did was talk—"

"That's somehow worse," Sirius mumbled, shaking her head. "Benjy's an actually decent guy, but I can't be around him without wanting to kill him."

"Marina's had boyfriends before," James shook his head. "Why is this any different?"

"We were fifteen the last time she went on a _real_ date," Sirius recalled. "I Confunded him the second they stepped out of the castle. He spent the entire day fumbling over his words and spilling Butterbeer on the two of them. I can't even remember his name."

James' eyes widened, "That was you? Marina complained about him all night after that."

Sirius smirked, "I remember."

James frowned, "I remember doing the same thing to some random Hufflepuff, Trevor Poll from Ravenclaw, and a bunch of older Gryffindors I never really knew, all because of Lily. But, that was before I came to realize something."

Sirius looked up, "What? That she would never, ever look at you that way?"

James snorted, "Yes and no. I finally realized that if I'm not going to be in her life like that, I shouldn't interfere as she tries to find someone who will be."

Sirius frowned, "Is this a lecture?"

"All I'm saying is I didn't choose to not be in Lily's life that way," James shrugged. "You did when you decided not to tell her about your feelings. You have to accept the consequences, or do something about it."

Sirius didn't respond, unable to come up with anything to say.

"You know, for two people who are supposed to be best friends, you sure seem to not be on speaking terms a lot," James flicked off the light as he made his way to his bed.

Sirius crawled into his own bed, pulling the covers to his chin. As he fell asleep, he thought of Marina's face as he told her she wasn't a Marauder, and the bright smile she wore as she kissed Benjy in the middle of the Common Room.

He couldn't stand in the middle of her happiness, especially when all he did was keep hurting her.

✱✱✱✱✱

"So," Lily began, looking at Marina warily. "Is Sirius' party just the five of you?"

Marina frowned, looking at her Transfiguration homework. The two were currently studying in the library away from the excitement that the Marauders were bringing to the castle regarding Sirius' birthday. They'd already set off three strings of fireworks throughout the castle in celebration of Sirius' coming of age. Marlene would've joined the two's study group, but she was too stressed over her Potions essay to even consider being around other people, so instead, she locked herself in her room.

"Yeah, if I'm still invited," Marina replied breezily.

Lily frowned, "You know he didn't really mean—"

"I know, I'm just feeling bad for myself," Marina responded, sighing. "It'd be better if you and Marlene were there, I'm sure Sirius would want Mary over."

Lily clenched her fists. Mary Macdonald had been nothing but smug ever since the Halloween party. The girl was starting to become unbearable, and only Dorcas was voluntarily hanging out with her at the moment. And even she was becoming weary.

Suddenly, Lily perked up, "What if we did come?"

Marina looked up, "To the party? I'm not sure if—"

"Who cares?" Lily interrupted. "It may be his seventeenth birthday, but he deserves to be a little caught off guard. Besides, when have we ever made a party less fun?"

Marina raised an eyebrow, "When you told on us to McGonagall for being too loud and disrupting your good night's sleep in second year."

Lily frowned, "It was one in the morning! On a school night! And we were barely thirteen!"

"I rest my case!" Marina threw up her hands.

"Shh!" Madam Pince ordered, sending the two girls a glare.

Lily immediately sobered, giving the woman an apologetic look. Marina simply rolled her eyes.

"Well, I'm coming. I know Marlene will come too," Lily smiled. "Besides, your brother and I had a talk—"

"You talked to James?" Marina's jaw dropped. "Individually? Voluntarily?"

Lily rolled her eyes, "Yes, and he's not as arrogant as he used to be, I guess."

"You guess?" Marina repeated, raised eyebrow. "You mean you finally see that he's not an arrogant dickhead like you were brainwashed to think?"

"Oh, shut up," Lily smacked her arm. "My point is, I'm not entirely disgusted by an evening spent with the Marauders."

Marina smiled, "Alright. I'll tell James—"

"No!" Lily cut her off, earning another glare from Madam Pince. She lowered her voice before she continued, "Let it be a surprise."

"A surprise party, fine," Marina agreed. She looked back down at her homework, "Can we get back to this? Because I really need this done if I have any plan of partying this weekend."

Lily nodded, "Yep, I've just finished. You can copy the rest."

Marina looked to her friend as real tears welled in her eyes, "Lily Evans, you're amazing, honestly. I can't remember at all why I used to despise you."

Lily laughed, "You're welcome, and only this once!"

✱✱✱✱✱

"Marina's here!" Peter squeaked out, letting her into the dorm room. She smiled brightly at the boy in thanks and looked into the room to see brightly colored balloons and three bottles of firewhiskey. Remus was sorting bars of Sirius' favorite chocolate on his bed, and Marina could've sworn that he put one up his sleeve in the process.

"Damn," Marina smirked, pointing at the firewhiskey. "You gonna drink that all yourself?"

James rolled his eyes at his sister as though it were obvious, "Of course we are."

"Yeah, Mar," Sirius smiled at the girl, handing her one of the bottles as an olive branch. "This party's just starting."

Marina gave him a small shake of her head and a soft laugh as she accepted the bottle, "You have no idea."

Another knock sounded at the door as Marina poured her first glass of firewhiskey.

"Who the hell—" James frowned, walking over to open the door. Marina nonchalantly sipped her drink. "Evans?"

Lily's cheeks tinted pink, "Potter."

She didn't continue, but James was still waiting for her to explain her presence. Suddenly, Dorcas, Marlene, and Mary appeared in the doorway behind her.

"What are you ladies doing here?" Sirius raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms.

"We're here for the party," Marlene replied confidently, walking into the room and sitting down by Marina. The Potter girl happily poured her a cup.

"Hey! That's our alcohol!" Sirius frowned. "We paid for that."

"Oh, well thanks, then!" Marlene raised her cup before taking a long sip. James was still staring at Lily who was the only one remaining in the doorway.

"Er," he came to his senses, "would you like to come in?"

Lily gave him a quick nod as she moved past him, "Thanks."

"James!" Sirius groaned, sending annoyed looks at Mary that she remained oblivious to.

"What?" he shrugged, "What kind of party doesn't have girls anyway?"

Marina raised her hand, "I was here before, too, James."

The boy frowned, "You don't count."

"Splendid," Marina muttered. "Not a Marauder, and not a girl."

Sirius caught the girl's words and shot James another annoyed look that he ignored.

"Come on, Sirius," Marlene said. "Let us stay. We can play Truth or Dare like in first year!"

Lily frowned, "I've never played Truth or Dare with you guys before."

"That's because you were a stuck-up prig, Lils," Marina casually replied.

Lily facepalmed, replying sarcastically, "Oh, right!"

The group laughed, and the girls settled down in a circle. Remus didn't take much convincing, and he sat down next to Marina with a square of chocolate held out to her. Peter plopped down on the floor on the other side of Remus, excited to be a part of a game. James shrugged at Sirius and leaned back on his hands with his feet out in front of him, giving off an aura of complete ease even though he was deadly aware of Lily Evans sitting right next to him.

Sirius finally relented, "Alright, fine. Besides, it was kinda fun first year."

Dorcas scoffed, "You dared Peter to hold his breath for a minute, if I remember correctly. Hopefully you've come up with better dares since then."

Sirius' eyes glinted dangerously, "I'm sure I'll figure something out."


	8. The One With All the Kissing

"Who's first?" Marlene smirked. "Birthday boy?"

Sirius leaned back against the wall, looking as relaxed as ever, "Do your worst, blondie."

Marlene obliged, "Truth or dare?"

"Dare," he replied confidently. Remus snorted and ate another piece of chocolate. Lily held her hand out for a piece, and he obliged.

"I dare you to choose someone in the group to slap you once, as hard as they can, randomly throughout the night, whenever they want," Marlene smiled, satisfied.

Sirius frowned, "Any reason you want someone to slap me, Marlene?"

Marina smirked; there was the loyalty that Marlene had been promising.

The blonde simply shrugged, "Nope. Choose away."

Sirius looked around the room. Lily and Dorcas were hiding smirks, but Mary looked slightly bothered by Sirius' dare. Marina just poured herself another drink while the other boys waited impatiently.

"Alright," Sirius decided. "Evans. You seem like you'd do the least damage."

Lily's eyebrows rose, and she moved to reply, but James beat her to it, laughing, "Oh, mate. You've made a terrible mistake."

The rest of the girls, and Remus, joined James in his laughter, but Sirius just moved on.

"Alright, fine," the boy turned to Dorcas. "Truth or dare?"

Dorcas' eyes momentarily widened before replying, "Er, truth."

Sirius smiled wickedly, "Where are you on the straight/queer spectrum?"

Marina's jaw dropped, and the room was silent for a moment. She turned to look at Marlene, but the other girl was avoiding her gaze.

Dorcas was tight lipped as she replied, "Nearer the, er, queer side, I suppose."

Sirius threw up his arms, "I knew it!"

"Sirius!" Remus scolded.

Sirius looked back at Dorcas, suddenly realizing, "Er, sorry."

The girl, to everyone's surprise, simply laughed, "It's nothing I haven't already told my parents. Now, my friends know."

Lily placed a hand on Dorcas' arm, giving her a reassuring smile. Mary did the same, and they returned to the game.

Dorcas turned to Mary, "Truth or dare?"

"Truth," the girl smiled, portraying confidence.

Suddenly, Dorcas realized she had to come up with a question. Turns out, one can't only have dares prepared for the game of Truth or Dare.

"Er, who's the fittest person in the room?" Dorcas winced. Marlene and Lily shared a look, rolling their eyes as they took synchronous sips from their cups. They already knew the answer, as did everyone else, honestly.

"Well," Mary fumbled over her words, "Probably—"

"Not even sure why you're hesitating," Sirius shrugged. "Let's face it, I smoke all you bitches."

Marina shook her head, "There is no limit to your narcissism, is there?"

"If there is, I haven't reached it," Sirius replied. Marina rolled her eyes as she sipped her firewhiskey.

Mary looked quite annoyed by the interruption, mumbling something in agreement to what Sirius said before moving on to dare Peter to yell curse words in the Common Room for one minute. The boy was threatened by several older students to shut up, and he returned a shade paler than when he left.

"Remus, truth or dare?" Peter began, gaining a bit of color.

"Dare me, Pete," Remus smirked, knowing it couldn't be half bad coming from Peter. He was right.

"Er, sit in someone's lap until your next turn," Peter said, gesturing at the group, "Your choice."

Remus shrugged before moving to lay obnoxiously across Marina's lap, "Yeah, this is comfy."

Marina frowned at the boy, "You couldn't have picked one of your boyfriends?"

The group laughed as Remus turned to Lily, "Truth or dare, Miss Evans?"

Lily hesitated, "Truth."

Remus thought for a moment before deciding, "When was your first kiss, and how did it go?"

Lily frowned for a moment, glancing at James, "Well, actually, it was Potter."

" _What?_ " Marina practically screeched. The Marauders, including James, also looked shocked. The girls were all wide-eyed, but said nothing.

"He jumped me one day in third year, as a joke, I'm sure," Lily bit her lip, and it actually looked like she was holding in a laugh. "I was so angry afterward, I remember. I actually cried, talking about how my first kiss was ruined."

James looked down, furious with himself, "I-I didn't know it was your first kiss! You'd been on multiple dates before then, I would've never—"

Lily waved her hand, "What's done is done, I'm over it. Besides, now we're... friends. It's not worth being mad about."

The group locked positively shocked by Lily's words, but she shifted the conversation with the clearing of her throat.

"Ahem, Marlene, truth or dare?" Lily asked.

✱✱✱✱✱

A tipsy Dorcas wearing Marlene's sweater and jeans (a dare, of course) turned to Marina, "Truth, alright. How many sexual partners have you had?"

Marina smirked as she went to answer, but James interrupted, "Nope, I don't need to hear that!"

The group laughed, but Marina whispered the number to the rest of them as James plugged his ears.

Lily shrugged, "Not as many as I thought."

Marina threw a popcorn kernel at her, "I'm not a total slag, besides, I don't sleep with _all_ of them."

The group laughed, and Marina turned to James after sneaking a look at Lily, "James, truth or dare?"

Knowing to not be on the wrong side of Marina's dares, he wisely chose the other option, "Truth!"

"Have you ever cheated?" she yawned as she spoke. Sirius smiled softly at the sight of the tired girl.

"On a test?" he asked, confused and a little offended.

Marina scoffed, "No, during a relationship."

The rest of the group looked interested to hear his answer. If James had looked offended before, he looked more betrayed than ever in that moment.

"No!" his jaw dropped, and Marina smirked as she saw how defensive he got, "I would never! That's horrible, a terrible thing—"

"Alright, we get it, Prongs," Sirius patted him on the back, "We're all proud of you."

Marina glanced at Lily again, and she was proud to see the impressed and slightly moved look on the redhead's face.

"Er, Padfoot," James tried to move on to the next question, "Truth or—"

Sirius smiled excitedly, "Dare."

"I dare you to go skinny dipping in the Black Lake," James smirked. Everyone oohed.

Sirius groaned, "Prongs, it's the middle of the night! And it's my birthday."

"Wimp," Marina challenged, smirking alongside her brother.

"Someone has to go and make sure that you actually do it, though. I know how you get once the weather gets colder," Remus added, looking to James for confirmation, and the boy happily agreed.

"Fine," Sirius glared at him. Then, he smirked, looking to the girl who previously teased him, "Marina—"

"Oh, hell no," she frowned, "It's freezing outside!"

"Now who's the wimp?" Sirius taunted.

The girl stood, glaring at him, "Fine, but if you drown, I'm not dragging your body out of the freezing water."

"That has to be the sexiest thing anyone's ever said to me," Sirius smirked, jumping to his feet. Despite his and Marina's argument, he was trying hard to show her nothing had really changed between them. He didn't dare look at James. "Let's go, Potter."

Marina gave him a look and left the room without him. The boy simply smiled and followed behind her. Mary looked furious. James sipped his firewhiskey and bit his tongue. He really needed to talk to someone about Sirius.

"Oh, Sirius!" Lily said, grabbing the boy's attention before he left the room. "I almost forgot!"

Sirius looked puzzled, "What?"

Lily brought her hand back and slapped Sirius across the face with as much strength as she could muster.

The boy turned his head back to look at her, eyes wide and holding his cheek, "Fuck, Evans!"

Lily covered her mouth to not let any laughter escape, but the rest of the group was lost in rambunctious, hysterical laughter.

"Alright, Lily!" Remus applauded, smirking. Peter clapped appreciatively behind him.

"Remind me never to underestimate her again," Sirius mumbled, leaving to follow Marina to the lake.

"That was intense," Mary agreed, frowning and looking at the door where Sirius left.

James' eyes didn't leave Lily's excited face as he said, "Spot on, Evans. Good aim."

"Thanks, James," she replied, smiling. James wasn't sure if anyone else had noticed, or even cared, but the boy's cheeks reddened at the sound of his first name coming from Lily Evans' lips.

"How do we know they're gonna actually do it?" Mary frowned, crossing her arms.

Remus refrained from rolling his eyes, "Marina or Sirius chickening out from a dare? Yeah, that's likely."

"Do we wait for them to come back, or—?" Peter asked.

"Nah, those lovebirds can fend for themselves," Marlene replied, waving him off. "I'll take Marina's turn—"

"Lovebirds?" Mary questioned, "To whom are you referring, Marlene—"

"Um, I'm her brother, I'll take her turn, thank you very much," James interrupted, not even giving Mary a second glance. "Marlene, truth or dare?"

✱✱✱✱✱

After a while of walking in silence, Sirius finally spoke up, tired of the tension. They'd finally reached the Black Lake, and the lack of response from her was killing him. Wasn't she just joking around with him upstairs? Or was she not joking? Why was she so silent all of a sudden?

"Are you still mad at me?" Sirius asked, dropping the teasing attitude.

"What makes you say that?" Marina replied, watching her breath appear in the cold night. The girl tucked her hands into her sweater sleeves, wishing she brought a thicker jacket.

Sirius didn't move, "You've been ignoring me," under his breath he finished the sentence with, " _again_."

Marina frowned, taking a moment to think. Her eyes never left the Black Lake.

"Mar—" Sirius tried again.

"What the hell is happening?" she asked, attempting to control her voice. She didn't know why she was so angry, maybe she wasn't even that mad at him, but suddenly, she was just _furious_.

"What do you mean?" Sirius replied, more confused than anything. The dare had been forgotten as the two regarded one another in the freezing November air.

"Since when do we fight this often?" Marina exploded. "I can't remember a time in the past two years when we weren't on speaking terms, and this is the second time in the past two months it's happened! What the hell is going on?"

Sirius frowned. Instead of looking at her, he set his gaze on the Black Lake. He wished he had kept quiet.

"You've been acting weird all year," Marina said softly, coming to her senses. "Is it about your parents?"

Sirius scoffed, but he didn't reply.

"We used to be able to talk about stuff, Sirius," she continued, having trouble maintaining her controlled voice while becoming even more annoyed with his lack of response. She gritted her teeth. He was the one who wanted her to speak in the first place. "Did _I_ do something wrong?"

Sirius turned, "No, Marina." She was suffocating him, he couldn't breathe with her staring at her as intensely as she was.

"Then what the hell is it?" she pushed. She crossed her arms. The girl was freezing, especially standing there in just a sweater and thin sweatpants, but she couldn't bring herself to care.

"I—I can't tell you," Sirius replied, frustrated. 

Marina's eyes darkened, "Oh. I suppose it's another thing you boys have to keep from the non-Marauder."

Sirius cursed, "No! Marina, damn it, come off of that—"

"Then why can't you tell me! I just want to help!" Marina jumped forward and clasped his arms with her frozen hands. "I'm here for you and I always have been! I don't know why—"

That's when it happened. It wasn't something Sirius had ever planned on doing, especially not like this. In fact, he didn't even realize what was happening until he was already doing it.

Sirius gripped Marina's hands on his arm and pulled her into him, catching her lips in his. Marina's eyes were wide with shock, unable to register the fact that she was kissing her best friend. His thumb brushed her cheek for a moment, the delicate touch sparking electricity through Marina's entire body.

Then, it was over.

Sirius pulled away and stepped back to look upon Marina's face. The girl's shock hadn't worn off, and Sirius' horror set in.

"Shit, Marina," Sirius swore.

"Sirius—" she began, her voice soft.

"Just forget it! Okay?" Sirius snapped, "It won't happen again, I'm sorry."

"Sirius!" Marina called after him, but he was already gone. 

The Black Lake stared at her, mocking her loneliness as she tried to grasp what the _hell_ had just happened.

✱✱✱✱✱

"Truth or dare, Lily?" Peter asked innocently.

Lily paused before replying. Peter was a Marauder, so by nature, he caused trouble. But, on the other hand, he was Peter Pettigrew. Assuming she was safe, she responded, "Dare."

Peter looked smug as he glanced at James, "I dare you to snog Prongs."

James' eyes widened as he looked over at his friend. Lily's cheeks turned red with what James assumed was anger mixed with embarrassment. Dorcas and Marlene froze, afraid to look upon their friend's face. Remus' eyes widened, and he contemplated the many different ways he could kill Peter Pettigrew.

"Wormtail, she doesn't have to do that—" he said quickly before turning to Lily. "You don't have to do that, he's just being funny—"

Remus took another swig of firewhiskey and passed it to Marlene as they watched the scene unfold before them. Dorcas snatched the bottle from Marlene before it even left her lips.

"It's a dare, she has to do it," Mary recalled the rules of the game. She obviously still wasn't happy about Lily slapping Sirius earlier.

Dorcas agreed, wincing, "Unless you want to streak through the castle—"

"Fine," Lily interrupted, looking to the boy sitting to her left. Without more than a second's hesitation, she reached up and pulled him toward her by the back of his neck.

"Wha—" James was interrupted by Lily crashing her lips to his.

A few seconds passed and she pulled away, unceremoniously wiping her lips. James' face was red, and he stuttered to find anything to say, but came up blank.

Luckily for him, the awkward silence was broken by Sirius bursting back into the room, looking furious. The boy walked straight for the bathroom and slammed the door shut, making it echo through the completely silent room.

The group remained quiet. Some of them were expecting Marina to enter the room again, but after a few moments it was clear that it was not going to happen.

"Alright, ladies," Remus spoke up, breaking the tense silence. "I guess that means the party's over."

"Right," Lily agreed, standing up. The other girls followed her lead, and without giving James a second look, she led them out of the room, closing the door behind them.

Peter and Remus immediately rounded on James, but the boy ignored their glares, instead turning to the bathroom door.

" _What the fuck just happened?_ "


	9. Something Difficult

This was _not_ how Sirius' birthday was supposed to go.

It was supposed to be a celebration of Sirius' life thus far, and there was supposed to be no drama, but how can you trust Sirius Black to not be dramatic?

The boy glared at himself in the mirror, trying to kill himself with his mind, or at least erase the memory of his mistake from that night. 

He couldn't _believe_ it. He couldn't believe he was that stupid. He was supposed to make up with Marina so that everything would go back to normal, back to being easy. Instead, he royally fucked up any chance of the two of them being normal ever again.

Sirius punched the wall next to the mirror, and he felt one of his knuckles crack. It wasn't broken, but it was sure bleeding. He couldn't even bring himself to care.

"Padfoot?" a hesitant voice called from outside the bathroom. James.

Sirius didn't reply. Despite James' assurance that he was okay with Sirius and Marina, Sirius still felt awkward talking to him about it.

"Padfoot, get out here, you're being ridiculous," Remus called next, trying to open the door.

"The girls have gone," Wormtail chirped helpfully, but still Sirius didn't move.

Sirius had spent years pining after her, but he guessed it was finally just too much for him to handle. What would happen now? Surely the girl wouldn't be able to look at him for a while. Sirius wasn't sure he could handle the awkward glances and whispers between her, McKinnon, or even Evans. He wished desperately that he could turn back time.

He ran a hand through his hair, and tried to regain some sense of composure. He was Sirius Black; he didn't lock himself in his bathroom and freak out over girls. But as he tried to look more calm, he knew that he wasn't just freaking out over a girl.

He was freaking out over _the_ girl.

Finally, a whisper of " _Alohamora_ " rang through Sirius' ears, and he turned to see his three worried friends.

James threw up his hands, "What the hell did you do, mate?"

✱✱✱✱✱

Over in the girl's dorm, there was a similar scene unfolding. Marina had locked herself in the girl's bathroom, but once Lily and Marlene knocked, she automatically let them in, casting _Muffliato_ on the door.

Upon entering the bathroom, Lily and Marlene immediately took note of the girl's watery eyes, but it didn't look like any had fallen.

"Marina, what the hell happened?" Marlene sat down on the edge of the bath, putting a comforting hand on Marina's arm.

Lily stood in front of Marina, crossing her arms. Surely, Sirius would never hurt her, so what had happened?

"H-He—" Marina stuttered, wincing at her uncertain words. "Sirius, er, kissed me." Lily and Marlene exchanged a look, and Marina certainly wasn't dense enough to miss it. "What was that look for?"

"It's no secret that Sirius lo—" Marlene began to reply.

"What Marlene's trying to say is we know he likes you," Lily interrupted, not wanting to give the whole game away. Marlene understood immediately.

"He _what_?" Marina's jaw dropped. "How did you guys know?"

Marlene shrugged, "You can see it in the way he looks at you, I guess."

Lily smiled, "He talks to you differently than everyone else. More... emotionally involved. He always wants to get you to smile, laugh, or tease him when he's being obnoxious. It's just obvious."

Marina was silent. A million thoughts were rushing through her mind. How could she have missed it? Looking back, it wasn't hard to tell at all with the constant flirting and everything. It was almost like she was choosing not to notice.

"What am I gonna do?" she finally spoke.

"Well," Marlene shrugged, "what do you want to do?"

Marina hadn't thought about that, "I—"

"You don't need to decide right now either, I mean, judging by the way Sirius looked when he stormed into his room—" Marlene continued.

"Was he mad?" Marina looked surprised. "Was he sad? What did he look like?"

Lily sighed, but she didn't feel like lying to her, "He looked like someone who wished they could take back the last hour of his life."

Marina looked down at her hands, unsure of how to take that news, "Oh."

"But that could mean—" Lily tried.

"No, he said to forget it," Marina recalled. "He said that it'll never happen again."

"Look, Mar," Marlene sighed, "people say all sorts of things they don't mean when under pressure. You should talk to him, get some clear understanding before you move forward."

Lily nodded in agreement, "Communication is really important. It's the conversations you have that push a relationship forward or move them back."

Marina looked up at her friends, "When did you guys become so freaking smart?"

"I've always been smart," Lily shrugged, "But I can't say I wasn't surprised by Marlene—"

"Oh, piss off, ginger," Marlene reached up and smacked Lily on the arm.

The three girls erupted into laughter, and Marina felt that maybe everything would be alright. If Lily Evans can come to be one of her best friends, maybe she could salvage the rest of her friendship with Sirius. Despite everything that's happened, she didn't know what she'd do without her best friend.

✱✱✱✱✱

That night, Lily couldn't sleep. Recently, there had been Muggles found dead closer and closer to Hogwarts. Based on the information she got from the Daily Prophet, they'd almost always be related to Muggleborns in the Wizarding World. It was the dread and constant fear of her parents winding up as throwaway news in the Prophet that made for many sleepless nights. Lily knew that she was safe at Hogwarts, even though there was certainly blood prejudice even here, but her parents and sister were vulnerable. It didn't take much for a wizard or witch to say those two unforgivable words.

Shaking the thought from her head, Lily sat up. She looked around her dorm room, and didn't see anyone else awake. The snores heard from Dorcas' bed were loud enough to mask her footsteps as she grabbed her wand and her robe before slipping out the door.

As she walked down the steps to the Common Room, she put her hair up into a messy ponytail to keep it out of her eyes. It was quite a cold night, but Lily found that the cold somehow soothed her. It felt like a breath of fresh air in the midst of the constant moving and rushing from day to day. It was nice to just sit and take it all in.

Lily checked the portrait hole, and she noticed that the Fat Lady was gone for the night, as expected. She was about to turn around and go back to her room, disappointed in her plans ruined for the night, but she noticed something small between the portrait and the door, keeping it slightly ajar. Lily furrowed her brows, and she bent down to pick it up. It was a book, titled "Quidditch: Through the Ages" and it looked quite worn. She flipped to the first page and saw written on the back of the front cover "Property of J. Potter."

Lily smiled and placed the book back into its spot, climbing out the portrait hole herself. She knew exactly where that boy would be.

Her instincts were correct, and she turned the corner at the end of the corridor to see James Potter sitting cross-legged on the bench, his glasses in his hands. The girl watched him for a moment, wondering if he would look up and see her, but he was as oblivious as ever.

Eventually, she coughed softly to gain his attention.

The boy's head shot up, and he shoved his glasses back on his face. His hands didn't move an inch toward his wand, which Lily thought wasn't very good instincts.

"Evans, er, hi?" he began, running a hand through his hair.

Lily never understood that movement; it never did anything to tame his unruly mass of black hair. "Hello, Potter."

"Er, what brings you here?" his voice echoed in the small room they were in, and it reminded them to be more quiet as it was past curfew.

Lily didn't move from her spot leaning against the wall, "I couldn't sleep, again."

James looked intrigued, "Again?"

Lily shrugged, wondering how much she was willing to tell him. They were friends, after all, that's what they agreed on. Friends shared things.

"Ever since the Prophet started running the stories about Muggles being murdered, most likely by that Lord Voldemort guy, I've been worried about my family," Lily looked down at her hands, hoping she made a good decision by confiding in James.

James nodded, his jaw clenched, "I can't believe the shit that's happening. My dad wrote me about discrimination happening at the Ministry because of blood purity, can you believe that?"

Lily sighed, crossing her arms, "It's horrible."

"I mean, the Ministry should be looking for the people to stop it, not further it by promoting the purebloods and firing the Muggleborns!" James still looked upset. Lily couldn't help a smile at the intensity of his words, but thankfully James didn't notice.

"So, why are you down here in the middle of the night?" Lily asked, changing the subject in the hopes of a lighter conversation to distract herself from her worries.

James sighed, and he leaned back against the wall with his head in his hands, "I assume Marina told you?"

Lily understood, "Yes, she did."

"Sirius is a mess," James frowned. "What happened?"

Lily mimicked his frown, "He didn't tell you?"

"No, he told me, but I have it on good authority that he was making it out way worse than it really was," James chuckled humorlessly.

Lily sighed, "Those two really are a mess, aren't they?"

James laughed, nodding, "Yes, they are."

"They deserve each other," Lily smiled. Suddenly, her eyes widened, "Wait! When did you find out that Sirius loved Marina?"

James laughed again, "It was after Marina told me how angry Sirius was after the Halloween party, you know, when she was making out with Benjy in the middle of the common room—"

"Ah yes," Lily pretended like she was looking back on fond memories.

"And that's when it clicked," James smiled. "I didn't know he loved her until he told me, though. I thought it was just a crush."

"Like your little crush on me?" Lily laughed, remembering all the times the boy had asked her out.

"Y-Yeah," James agreed quickly, looking away.

"You know, I used to be so angry when you'd just keep pestering me about finally going out with you, but I suppose I can let it go now that I know it was all for fun," Lily smiled, and she moved from her spot on the wall to sit next to James on the bench. "We're friends now, and we're starting fresh."

James knew he should be happy that the two were starting over, but he couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness as she spoke.

"Sirius and Marina, though," Lily continued, yawning. "They've got their work cut out for them."

James frowned, "What do you mean?"

Lily smiled, "Well, they're both terrified of losing one another and destroying their friendship. There's no way that their relationship starts without any drama, I can promise you that."

"Yeah, both of them always have been quite dramatic," James agreed, shrugging.

"Agreed," Lily's laughter filled the quiet corridor, and James couldn't help but join in.

Lily was about to shush him and quiet herself, thinking they were making too much noise, when footsteps sounded down the hallway. Lily looked to James like a deer in headlights, but he reacted quickly and soundlessly. In one swift movement, he pulled a silvery cloak over both of their heads, ensuring it was covering all of both of them.

"What is this—" Lily whispered, but before she could continue, James covered her mouth with his hand.

In the stress to become hidden, Lily didn't realize how close she moved to James once he threw the cloak over them. She looked down at the hand covering her mouth, and then back up to James.

The footsteps turned the corner of the corridor they were currently in with the small bench, and James and Lily were shocked to see Severus Snape along with two of his Slytherin friends sneaking around.

"I swear I heard something," one of the boys, Nott, said, frowning.

Snape's drawling voice filled the corridor as he said, "Maybe if you had the ability to decipher the difference between a voice and your own footsteps, I'd believe you."

"No, I definitely heard it," Nott argued. "It was the sound of a girl laughing, coming from in here."

The three scanned the room for the source of the laugh, and when their eyes passed over where the two were hiding underneath a cloak, Lily was relieved to see that they couldn't see her.

"Whatever, we don't have time for this," Mulciber scowled. "We're already running late, let's go."

With that, the three boys left the corridor, and Lily and James listened to their retreating footsteps until they were sure they were gone. When James felt it was safe again, he removed the cloak.

"What was that?" Lily asked, still afraid to move her voice above a whisper.

"I dunno," James admitted. "What could they possibly be late for at this hour?"

Lily smacked him in the arm, "Not them! Your cloak!"

James' eyes widened in understanding, "Oh, yeah. It's an invisibility cloak. It's been passed down through my family for generations."

Lily nodded, trying not to look too impressed, "Well, good thing you had it with you."

James nodded in agreement, still thinking about what he just saw with the three Slytherins, "What do you think they were late for?"

"Must be some kind of meeting?" Lily frowned. "That doesn't sound very good for the rest of the school if a bunch of Slytherins are meeting in the dead of night. What could they be doing? Or planning?"

James nodded in agreement, again, and looked down at his hands. His eyes widened as he suddenly remembered a pretty crucial detail from Sirius' birthday party—their kiss. He could still feel Lily's lips on the palm of his hand, and he could still feel her lips on his. He felt guilty all over again, and it showed on his face.

Lily noticed the sudden change in his mood and frowned, "What's wrong?"

James cleared his throat, already feeling awkward bringing it up, "About, er, that kiss from tonight." Lily's eyes flickered with recognition, wincing as he continued. "I promise, I never told Pete to dare you to do that, and it won't happen again."

Surprisingly, Lily smiled, "It's all a part of the game, Potter. Don't worry about it."

"I know, I just didn't want you to think I did it on purpose," James said seriously. "And, about your first kiss—"

"Seriously, James, don't worry about that either—" she tried.

"—that kiss was my first kiss, too," he finished.

Lily's eyes widened, "Oh."

James nodded, trying to gauge her reaction, "So, just in case you still thought that your first kiss was ruined, er, I'm not really sure where I was going with this—"

Lily smiled warmly, impressed that he would be willing to share that piece of information with her, "Thank you, James. For telling me."

The corridor was silent for a moment.

James couldn't help it any longer, he smirked, "You called me James."

Lily's eyes widened, "No, I didn't."

James scoffed, "Yes, you did. Three whole times today. I counted."

Lily laughed, "You _counted?_ "

"Of course I did! This is a once, or thrice, in a lifetime thing!" he continued, making her laugh more. "But, you know, friends should call each other by their first name."

Lily stopped laughing, "Alright, James, you've got yourself a deal."

"Actually, now that I think about it," James shrugged, "I quite like calling you Evans."

Lily rolled her eyes, "Whatever you say, Potter."

That night, Lily went straight to bed after bidding James goodnight. She felt a lot calmer than she left her dorm earlier, and she fell asleep within seconds.

James took a while longer to calm down before his eyes eventually shut. There was a certain redhead occupying his thoughts, and besides, it's harder to fall asleep when you're smiling.

✱✱✱✱✱

Quidditch was the only reason why Sirius pulled himself out of bed the next morning. He couldn't sulk all day, and he could certainly never skip the game or else James would really be pissed at him.

He scanned the room for his friends, and he wasn't surprised to see them all fast asleep. Sirius checked the clock; it read seven twenty-four in the morning.

Figuring he could get breakfast out of the way early so he wouldn't have to see Marina or anyone else, Sirius started for the Great Hall. He didn't make it very far, however, as he found Lily Evans sitting on the couch in front of the fire, holding a book in her hands. She looked up upon his arrival, an odd look coming across her face as she recognized his presence.

"Good morning, Sirius," she greeted. "Sleep well?"

Sirius snorted, trying to figure out how much the girl knew. His defense mechanism in sarcasm conjured a retort on the tip of his tongue, but he was too defeated to use it.

"No," he finally replied. The vulnerable tone to his voice made him wince. It wasn't often he spoke to Lily Evans, and he was certainly not going to talk to her about problems he's having about Marina.

"I thought not," Lily sighed, trying not to put much pity into her words. Unfortunately, Sirius caught it. Noticing his desire to leave, Lily stood up, "I'll go with you."

"What?" Sirius stopped, actually dumbfounded, giving her a look. "Why do you want to eat with me?"

Lily gave him a look, "No one wants to eat with you right now, especially with that attitude, but it's what should be done."

Sirius frowned, muttering under his breath, "Fine, but don't you dare talk to me about Mar—"

"Who? I don't even know her," Lily teased, pushing him out of the portrait hole.

At that, Sirius gave up a small, appreciative smile. Maybe Lily Evans wasn't so bad.

✱✱✱✱✱

Marina ate her lunch slowly, craning her neck to where Sirius was sitting with the boys. She decided to give him some space, and her friends agreed it was the right choice for now. Besides, she had to focus on Quidditch; the game was finally here, and honestly, it couldn't have been on a worse day. Marina hoped that the awkwardness didn't translate onto the pitch.

James was as nervous as he always was going into a Quidditch match, but he continued his usual routine of putting on a show of confidence for his team (and himself) by joking and laughing at lunch before going down to the pitch. As soon as he arrived down there, the team knew that the joking stopped; according to James, Quidditch was too serious for there to be joking in the locker room.

Marlene had made the team for the past couple years, and this year was no different. She was a Chaser, alongside James and Augustus Whisp, a fifth year. Marina was overjoyed to have another girl on the team when she made it, and today especially, she was happy to have someone like Marlene to stick to. If she couldn't talk to Sirius, she was glad to have Marlene—she certainly wasn't going to talk to James about the night before, at least not yet.

"Ready?" Marina asked, standing up from the table.

Marlene bobbed her head yes, and the two left the Great Hall. James noticed his sister leave, and he frowned after her. His eyes flicked downward, and he noticed Lily looking right at him.

The girl didn't look embarrassed to be caught, and instead, she smiled softly and mouthed, _Good luck_.

James smiled back, shrugging, _Who needs luck?_

Lily was shaking her head in amusement as she turned back to Dorcas and Mary.

✱✱✱✱✱

Marina stepped out of the locker rooms in her Quidditch robes, braiding her hair into a plait down her back. She found the team quickly, huddling outside of the pitch. James gave her an annoyed look when she finally arrived. Marina rolled her eyes and bumped shoulders with Marlene, taking her spot next to her. Sirius glanced at her, trying not to linger. 

"Finally," James said impatiently. "Alright. We got lucky today, one of their better players, Vaisey, got hit in the head with a Bludger during the last practice, so they're playing with an alternate—" James' eyes flicked over to Marina. "Benjy Fenwick."

Albert Spinnet, the team's Keeper, shrugged, "He's nothing, we've got this."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Marina piped up. "We shouldn't go in too confident."

"I guess you'd know," Spinnet muttered, a smirk on his face. Marina sent a glare back at him. Sirius frowned, but he didn't say anything.

James didn't seem to notice, nodding in agreement, "Marina's right. I don't wanna see anyone slacking out there, understood?"

There was a chorus of "Yes, Potter."

"Good," James said determinedly. "Let's get out there."

After a moment of waiting, the team heard Dorcas' familiar voice introducing the two teams, starting with Ravenclaw.

"Sirius!" Marina said, grabbing his sleeve as he got into line in front of her. "I just wanted to say, er, about last night—"

"Marina, please, can we just forget about it?" Sirius whispered. "It was a mistake. Please, can everything just go back to normal?"

"Is that what you want?" Marina's lips were pushed into a thin line.

 _No_ , Sirius frowned, "Yes."

Marina let her hand drop down to her side, plastering a bright smile on her face, "Okay, I'll see you out there."

" _Sirius Black!_ " Dorcas' voice boomed. They hadn't noticed he was next.

Without another glance her direction, Sirius mounted his broom and flew off onto the pitch.

"It's okay, 'Rina," James patted her shoulder. The girl hadn't even realized he was eavesdropping, "You guys'll be fine."

"Thanks, James, but I don't think we will be," Marina's fake smile had long faded.

" _And the_ legendary _Potter twins!_ " Dorcas announced excitedly.

James wasn't able to get another word in as the two jumped on their brooms and sped out to meet the cheering stands filled with the entire school.

"Now, I want a nice, clean game," Madame Hooch said her iconic pre-game words, looking intentionally at Sirius. The boy mustered as much of an innocent smile as he could under the circumstances. Hooch threw the Quaffle into the air, and the game began.

James raced forward, always the first one to reach the Quaffle. Marlene and Whisp flew off a small distance away, ready to receive the ball if James was put under pressure. Marina shot straight up as soon as her path was clear, eager to get out of the way of the Bludgers and Beater bats flying around. Her hazel eyes scanned the pitch for any sign of the Snitch.

" _Off they go! Looking at the Gryffindor team, I think we're all pretty pleased with Potter's choices—especially with the returning women on the team Marina Potter and Marlene McKinnon! Aren't they gorgeous, Hogwarts?_ " Dorcas jokingly announced. Marina and Marlene made eye contact, shaking their heads and laughing. McGonagall said something to the girl, but Dorcas laughed it off, " _What? They are! Alright, back to the game!_ "

Dorcas went on to describe the play-by-play for the crowd, but Marina zoned her out, searching for the Snitch. She vaguely remembered Marlene scoring a goal for Gryffindor with an assist from Whisp. Marina looked around and accidentally locked eyes with Benjy Fenwick as he sped toward the Gryffindor hoops, Quaffle in hand. Marina winked, and she smirked as he fumbled the ball. Her brother intercepted it and weaved his way around the Ravenclaw's defense before scoring yet another goal. Twenty to zero.

Marina scanned the field for the Snitch, swearing she saw a flash of gold, but frowned when she realized it was someone's glasses reflecting from the stands. She noticed Priscilla Arlington, the Ravenclaw Seeker, lurking closer to the Gryffindor Beaters, aka, Sirius. Something knotted in Marina's stomach, and she considered releasing some of her pent up nervous and angry energy. She took off toward Priscilla before directing her broom downward. Noticing Marina's sudden movement, Priscilla quickly followed, assuming she had seen the Snitch. She pulled a sort-of Wronski Feint, diving straight toward the ground. When she got within thirty feet of the ground, she pulled up, barely missing face-planting in the grass below. Priscilla wasn't too lucky, she pulled up too late and too hard, the force causing her to flip backward and off her broom.

Marina flew back up to her previous position, pretending like nothing had happened. But, a small smirk found its way to her lips. Now, she felt better.

" _And Arlington's off her broom, but she's pulling herself together, I guess,_ " Dorcas narrated. " _It was a nice move that Potter pulled, but for what reason, I'm not sure._ "

The game continued after that; Priscilla got up onto her broom again after checking herself for injuries. An hour passed, and the game was still as intense as ever. James scored five goals, Marlene three, and Whisp scored one, but Spinnet had underestimated Benjy, and he had let in a few goals from him, along with a couple from the other Ravenclaw Chasers. Now, the score was one hundred and ten to seventy, and both teams were getting anxious for their respective Seekers to find the Snitch.

And that's when she saw it. Marina wasted no time speeding off toward the small golden ball zipping around near one of the many towers. She knew Priscilla was quite a distance behind her—this Snitch was _hers_.

One thing she didn't take into account was the Bludger coming straight for her. Her arm was already outstretched, she couldn't do anything but grab the Snitch and yank it back, but she was too slow. The Bludger collided hard with her shoulder. Marina cried out in pain, but she managed to barely stay on her broom.

" _Potter takes a massive hit to the shoulder from a Bludger—where're the Gryffindor Beaters anyway? Wait, has she got the Snitch?_ " Dorcas commentated. " _I think she has! Oh, I hope she's alright!_ "

Marina landed on the ground, clutching her definitely dislocated or even broken shoulder. She was just happy that it hadn't collided with her head.

"Marina!" James landed next to her. "Are you alright? That Bludger came out of nowhere—"

"I'm fine, James," she winced, trying not to cry. She hated crying in front if people, it made her feel weak—it was something she learned whilst growing up with only boys for friends. The girl bit her lip, trying not to cry out in pain; her shoulder was throbbing. "Merlin, I can't remember the last— _ow_ —the last time I've been hit by a Bludger!"

"Second year," Sirius spoke up, looking angry. Marina hadn't even noticed he landed, "I remember hexing the fifth year Beaters who let it happen."

"And where were you today, Black?" Olliver accused. "You're the one who makes sure no one hits Marina."

Sirius' jaw clenched, "Fenwick had the Quaffle heading for the hoops, I wasn't paying attention—"

"To Marina? Since when are you not paying attention to Marina? She better not be out long, we have a season to win—" Spinnet snapped.

Sirius lunged forward to grab the Keeper, but Olliver pulled him back and out of the boy's reach, "Watch your mouth, Spinnet."

Olliver directed a pissed-off Albert Spinnet to the locker rooms to cool down. No one could really be that mad, they did win the game, after all.

"Let's get you to the Hospital Wing, Mar," Marlene said, grabbing her friend's broom and handing it to James. The girl led her off toward the castle, but Marina took one look over her shoulder at Sirius. He wasn't looking at her, instead glaring at the ground in anger and disappointment.

✱✱✱✱✱

To say that Sirius was pissed was an understatement. He spent the entire game trying not to think about how he screwed up with Marina. Every time he looked at her, he felt even worse, so he tried not to look at her. Instead, he took his anger out on a pretty easy target: Benjy Fenwick. The boy was an alright flier, but he dropped the Quaffle a couple times even when there was no one defending him. With Olliver helping out, Sirius thought he could get away with sending Bludger after Bludger at Fenwick, but he found out the hard way that it came with consequences.

Marina was hurt because of him.

The guilt and regret he felt was too much to handle; he didn't bother visiting the Hospital Wing that night either. He knew she wouldn't want to see him, especially based on the way he'd been acting in addition to the Bludger thing.

He went to bed that night wishing he hadn't screwed everything up, that he and Marina still had their old friendship. Now, everything was strained. Their easy going relationship they'd had was replaced by something new, something strange, confusing, and worst of all: _difficult_.


	10. Fighting Against Fear

"Alright, Miss Potter," Madame Pomfrey finished a couple basic healing charms. "You had a dislocated shoulder and a few torn ligaments, but I was able to put them back in place. You'll need a sling for a couple days, but you'll certainly be able to play in the next Quidditch match if you don't injure it further."

Marina smiled brightly, "Great, plenty of time to practice some more before then."

"I would like to keep you overnight for some more healing remedies and charms every few hours," Madame Pomfrey continued.

The Hospital Wing door suddenly opened, revealing a concerned Benjy Fenwick. Marina tried not to look disappointed, though she wasn't exactly sure why.

"I came as soon as I changed out of the Quidditch robes, are you okay?" Benjy's brows furrowed. He grabbed the hand on her uninjured arm.

Despite the hand in his grasp not being the injured one, she winced, "I'm alright now, just have a bit of healing to do."

"She's not having visitors at the moment, Mister Fenwick," Pomfrey tutted. "If you could come back later—"

"Yes, ma'am," Benjy nodded. "I just wanted to make sure she was okay."

Marina looked away, trying not to think about the events of the night before and the fact that she had agreed to go on a date with the boy so dutifully holding her hand.

"She's quite alright, as she said," Pomfrey repeated. "Off you go."

Benjy nodded again, "I'll talk to you later then, Marina?"

"Yeah, sure," she replied, unable to look him in the eyes. Without another word, the boy left.

"Boy trouble, dearie?" Pomfrey mumbled, tending to her shoulder. "I understand."

Marina let out a loud sigh, "You have no idea."

✱✱✱✱✱

Sirius cursed himself all the way up to the Gryffindor dorms, trying to figure out how to apologize for both kissing Marina and letting her get hit by the Bludger. 

"Ad nauseam," he growled at the Fat Lady, ignoring her offended look. When he pushed his way through the portrait hole, he walked straight into James.

"There you are!" James frowned at him upon his arrival. "I was about to check the map for you!"

"Well, you found me," Sirius mumbled back, trying to move past him.

"No, you don't get to go yet," James pushed him back.

The portrait hole opened to reveal two second year Gryffindors, both still wearing red and gold paint from the game. They looked at James and Sirius with wide eyes, unsure about whether or not to turn and leave or awkwardly push past them. After a moment, James grabbed Sirius' arm and pulled him in the direction of the Common Room, and the Black boy had no option but to follow him.

"What the hell happened out there?" James demanded once the two second years had left.

"I don't know, James—" he tried.

"Nevermind, I know what happened," James began, shaking his head. "You let this issue with my sister get in your head when your job is to make sure she, and everyone else on the team, doesn't get hurt."

"I was trying to..." Sirius trailed off.

"You were trying to what?" James frowned, letting his anger get the best of him. "Give her a concussion so maybe she'd forget that you kissed her?"

Sirius shoved James backward, eyes blazing. James stumbled, but he didn't fight back, steeling his gaze on his friend.

"Fuck you, James," Sirius glared. "If you think I would ever let her get hurt on purpose, you're delusional."

James paused, feeling guilty, "I know." A moment passed, and Sirius was unsure if he should say anything. "Why don't you just tell her? It can't be worse than this, can it?"

"It doesn't feel like anything can be worse than this," Sirius agreed, "but she's with Fenwick, I heard Dorcas say they were going to Hogsmeade this weekend."

"That was before you kissed her, you wanker," James rolled his eyes. "Who knows what'll happen now?"

Sirius frowned, "That's what I'm afraid of."

✱✱✱✱✱

Marina was released the next morning with a conflicted heart. Everything was so screwed up, and she was supposed to go to Hogsmeade the next day with Benjy as though nothing with Sirius happened? She bit her lip as she packed her bag for that day, ensuring that the right textbooks were there.

A frown settled on her face when she realized that Sirius hadn't visited her, not even to check and see if she were alright. She shook her head, ridding the thought from her mind.

Her uniform tie hung loosely around her neck, and her sweater tucked into her skirt that fell just above her knees. Her robes were thrown hastily over her shoulders, and she cast a spell to give her hair soft waves. Marina glanced around the dorm, wishing she had someone to talk about her current predicament with, but the room was empty. Lily and Marlene always were early risers, and breakfast started about an hour ago.

Throwing her Gryffindor scarf into her bag as a last minute decision, she trekked down the stairs in the hopes of snagging a pastry before heading to Potions. Marina froze when she saw a head of black hair sitting on the couch, his legs propped up on the coffee table. Sirius looked up as she stepped onto the floor of the Common Room. Immediately, his eyes filled with concern, then guilt, and he forced himself to look away.

Marina stared at him, waiting for him to speak. To say _something_ to her. He didn't.

"Really?" she spoke dully. "Not even a 'hi'?"

Sirius couldn't bring himself to open his mouth, just wincing at her tone.

"Fine," Marina gritted her teeth.

She kept walking toward the portrait hole, turning her back on him. Before she reached it, a hand on her wrist stopped her. Marina turned to see Sirius with a pleading look in his eyes. At the look on his face, her eyes widened a fraction of an inch; she'd never seen him look like this before.

His brain was working too fast trying to form something to say, and he stuttered, "I'm sorry, Marina. For..."

"For the Bludger?" Marina asked. "Because if you're apologizing for that, Sirius, shit happens." Sirius frowned. "But if you're apologizing for something else—"

"Marina, I'm sorry, okay!" he exploded, shame filling him up. "I'm sorry I kissed you, I'm sorry I ruined our friendship, and I'm just—" he took a shaky breath. "I'm sorry."

"I never asked you to apologize, Sirius," the girl's head shook softly as she looked him right in the eyes. "I never wanted you to apologize."

Sirius fidgeted in his spot, "What?"

"You decided all by yourself that you had to. You left me out there by the lake..." Marina cut herself off. She fixed her bag on her shoulder, hating herself as her eyes watered. "If it's forgiveness you want from me in order to forget what happened, then you have it, okay? You're forgiven."

And then she was gone.

His heart ached as he stared at the spot she'd been standing in only a moment before. Sirius knew he was in too deep, but he remembered what James said. Still, as he watched her walk away from him, he couldn't understand how he'd ever be able to let her go forever.

✱✱✱✱✱

Lily's head rested on the palm of her hand as she read from her Transfiguration textbook. She yawned deeply, wondering how much more time she should spend on a Friday night studying alone in the library.

"Naptime, Evans?" a teasing voice asked from behind her.

Lily turned her head to see James standing with an Advanced Potion-Making textbook and a spare bit of parchment in hand, giving her a crooked grin.

"Just about," Lily replied as he placed his book and bag in front of the seat next to her. Her eyes flicked to the surrounding tables. "I was thinking of pushing off my Transfiguration homework until Sunday night, thoughts?"

James chuckled, "Well, I was thinking the same thing about my Potions work, but since we're both here, with the best student in both classes sitting right next to each other..."

"I think you'll find Snape has far more skill in Potions than that of a Mudblood, Potter," Nott's cruel voice interrupted. Mulciber stood by his side along with Snape, who stared at the scene in front of him with disbelief paired with disgust.

James started to stand up, but Lily placed her hand on his arm, stopping him. He slowly sank back down in his seat, not removing the glare from his face.

"Didn't know you were foolish enough to hang around prats like Potter," Snape spat at Lily. "Perhaps I was right about you after all."

Lily gave a slight shrug of her shoulders, "Perhaps you were. At least I _know_ I was right about you, Severus." The girl stood up from her chair, tossing her bag over her shoulder. She made a point of holding out her hand to her study partner, "Come on, James. We can study in the Common Room. Perhaps then, we won't be bothered."

James gathered his things with ease, sending a smirk at Snape as he took Lily's hand. The Slytherin was furious, color rising to his cheeks as he watched them depart.

After they exited the library, Lily released James' hand and ran it through her hair. Her frustration was evident on her face, a drastic change from how she was handling their previous situation.

"Alright there, Evans?" James asked, concerned.

Lily bit her lip, trying to force her frustration down, but she couldn't help it, "No, I'm not."

Before they realized where they were going, they ended up at the Astronomy Tower. Lily took a deep breath in, inhaling the scent of fresh air as a cool breeze caressed her face. She loved the feeling of freedom that being up high gave her, and despite her lack of talent for Quidditch, she enjoyed flying on a broom more than she'd care to admit. The Astronomy Tower was one of her favorite places at Hogwarts because of it. That, and the view.

James watched her with an unconscious smile forming on his face, wishing he could tuck the messy tendrils of fiery red hair behind her ear as the wind blew them in every which way.

"Sometimes," Lily confessed, her voice just barely above a whisper, "I wish things could've been different."

James' eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "Between you and Sniv—Snape?"

"Between me and the magical world," Lily turned to look at him, a grim smile on her face. "Severus—he was my first friend, and he was the one who showed me that I had magic. It was the beginning of the end of my relationship with my sister, and his friendship only brought me pain. I used to wonder what it would be like if I'd never found out I was a witch."

James kept his face neutral, "Do you really think you'd be happier? Without magic?"

"I don't know," Lily turned back to face the balcony. "Maybe my sister and I would still talk. Maybe I'd never have to worry about my parents being killed by dark wizards. Maybe I'd have a best friend who wouldn't ever call me such a derogatory term in front of the entire school. Maybe I'd be normal."

The tower was silent for a moment, only the whistling of the wind filling their ears. 

James couldn't believe her words. In all the time he'd known her, she'd been a magical prodigy, top of the class; it all seemed to come so naturally to her. Lily Evans was the picture of a perfect witch, and to hear her wonder if she'd be happier without it... James couldn't understand it. It wasn't _her_.

"You wouldn't be happier," James decided, shaking his head. He took a step closer to Lily, and she turned with a raised eyebrow. "You wouldn't be happier, because you wouldn't be who you truly are. One of the smartest, most caring, compassionate, _magical_ witches that I know. And you wouldn't want to trade that for the world."

Lily's breath hitched in her throat as James spoke, caught off guard by his sudden emotion. James suddenly realized what he'd said, and he panicked for a second, hoping he didn't make her feel uncomfortable. He stepped back once more, his free hand moving up to his hair, and hoped his cheeks weren't too red. But, he wasn't done.

"But, I can't speak to what's gonna happen with the dark wizards," he admitted. "But, I do know one thing: they can't win. Not with all of us willing to fight. Evil never wins, and they won't. Someday, Voldemort, or whatever his name is, he's going to get what's coming to him, and we'll be there to see him and all his followers fall, I _promise_."

The girl could feel the determination in his voice, and it sparked a fire inside her. Looking at James in that moment, she felt like she could've duelled the famous dark wizard and won. When James saw the smile on Lily's face, accomplishment surged through him.

"Thanks, Potter," she finally said, the words meaning more to her than James knew.

The two looked out over the grounds of Hogwarts. Snow had just started to fall, coating the ground in a thick layer of white. Their breath was visible in the cold, late November air.

"James," a moment passed before Lily spoke again. The echo of his name rang in his ear before a soft whisper, "I'm still scared."

"Yeah," James took a breath. "Me too."

✱✱✱✱✱

The next morning, the older students of Hogwarts were preparing for a trip to Hogsmeade, eating breakfast quickly in order to have the whole day there. Marina slowly moved her spoon from her bowl of cereal to her mouth, frowning at Lily, who sat in front of her.

"What's wrong?" Lily asked, unable to ignore her any longer.

"Nothing, nothing," Marina sighed. "I have my date with Benjy today..."

Lily kept a neutral face, "Oh... and that's bad?"

Marina didn't answer, shoveling a spoonful of cereal into her mouth again.

Down the table, the Marauders were planning on going to Hogsmeade, too. James had plans of snagging some firewhiskey from the stores of the Three Broomsticks, not that he wouldn't leave a few Galleons behind, and Peter talked him into going back to Zonko's before the weekend was up. As he was eating, his head turned to the side every so often, allowing to glimpse Lily Evans' face throughout his meal, a habit he still hadn't been able to break.

Near the end of the meal, despite Marina's attempts to drag it on as long as possible, Benjy stood from the Ravenclaw table. He approached the Gryffindor side of the room with a look of anticipation, looking for Marina.

"He's coming, Mar," Lily spoke softly, gathering her bag. "I'll see you later?"

The girl nodded, taking one last bite of cereal and brushing her hands on her jeans. She stood up to meet him, walking past her brother along with Remus, Peter, and of course, Sirius, on the way. Marina's eyes locked with his for a moment, but she forced herself to look away, placing a smile on her face.

"Hey, you ready?" she asked.

"Absolutely," he replied easily, gesturing for her to walk past him.

Sirius couldn't help the eye roll that ensued. Lily Evans strolled past him on her way out of the Hall, smacking him on the back of the head and giving him a stern look, nodding toward Marina before exiting the room.

Sirius rubbed the back of his head, frowning at the redhead, "Why does she always do that?"

James only smirked, shaking his head into his breakfast.

✱✱✱✱✱

Marina and Benjy walked the trail from the castle to Hogsmeade village, chatting casually about classes and the latest Hogwarts gossip. Apparently, Priscilla Arlington had slept with her best friend's boyfriend, and now the two weren't talking. Shocking and fascinating.

The two entered the Three Broomsticks, taking one of the booths in the corner. Marina noticed Marlene and Dorcas in another side of the room, quietly laughing to one another over their drinks. She smiled.

"I can go order a Butterbeer?" Benjy offered, taking his jacket off and placing it on the hook on their booth.

"Sounds good," Marina agreed.

"Alright," he sighed, leaving her alone.

Marina toyed with a piece of her hair, wondering how much time she should spend at Hogsmeade with the boy. Her gaze traveled to Benjy waiting for the drinks, his polite smile directed toward anyone who walked by. She cocked her head to the side, wondering why the sight of such a handsome, nice boy like him didn't do anything for her. Couldn't she understand that Benjy was pretty much the nicest guy in the school, and he actually wanted to be with her?

And all Marina could think about was what happened a couple days ago between her and a very different boy.

The bell on the door dinged, and her gaze drifted toward the sound. The Marauders stepped through the doorway, the sound of their laughter echoing through the restaurant. Sirius' head was thrown back as he laughed at whatever ridiculous thing James said, and Marina felt her lips turn upward at the sight.

"Got the drinks," Benjy stepped into her line of sight, holding out the pint of Butterbeer.

She took it, "Thank you, Benjy."

Benjy glanced over at the Marauders, a small frown gracing his features for a moment.

Taking a sip of her drink, her eyebrows furrowed, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, nothing," he shook his head as if dismissing a thought from his mind. "So, you excited for the next Quidditch match?"

"Yeah, definitely," Marina smiled brightly. This was something she could talk about without a problem. "We should be able to deal with Hufflepuff rather easily, I think. Especially with the amount of training and extra strategy sessions James has been scheduling."

"He certainly is dedicated," Benjy chuckled, shaking his head. "Hopefully Black is on his game this time, I'd hate to see you back in the Hospital Wing again."

Marina's smile faltered, and she took another sip, "Yeah, me too."

Her eyes wandered back to Sirius, freezing when she saw he was looking at her, too. This time, though, he didn't look away, and neither did she. They were always both too stubborn. Merlin, why was she even looking at him? Sirius had an unrecognizable look on his face, and she was sure that hers reflected the confusion and conflict she felt on the inside.

"Marina?" Benjy asked, confused. He followed her gaze to the Marauders' table, and the same resigned look of understanding crossed his face. "Right."

Marina frowned, "What?"

Benjy sighed, shaking his head, "You and—"

An explosion erupted outside the Three Broomsticks, interrupting her inquiry and causing everyone to jump in surprise. Marina thought she even heard a few people scream.

"What was that?" a meek voice asked, belonging to a younger Hufflepuff student.

Another explosion, then another, and Marina jumped up from her seat. She saw her brother and Sirius rise as well, with Remus and a reluctant Peter not far behind. Holding her wand in front of her, Marina rushed to the door and shoved it open, facing the culprits in the act of sending another curse toward the front of a village shop.

The attackers were covered from head to toe in black robes with masks covering their faces. Marina realized with a start that these were the people wreaking havoc on Muggle towns, and they were who Lily was so afraid of.

Seeing the Hogwarts students arrive on the scene, the attackers turned on them. _Death Eaters_ , Marina remembered Lily saying. _Followers of that whack-job, Lord Voldemort._

"That didn't take long at all," a smug voice sliced through the cold air, sending a shiver down Marina's spine. It took her a moment to realize she _recognized_ it. "Always trying to be the hero. They're only babies!"

Without warning, the smug attacker sent a stunning spell toward the Marauders, but James blocked it before it could hit whoever it was meant for. The attacker's accomplices raised their wands, ready to strike.

"Gonna have to try a little harder than that," James muttered. " _Stupefy_!"

And in that moment, Hogsmeade became a battleground.

Marina dove out of the way of a stray hex, and Benjy pulled her behind the closest wall for cover. She barely registered his presence; the girl was focused, wracking her brain for the origin of that voice. 

"I know that woman, I _know_ I know her..." she mumbled, shaking her head. She was gripping her wand too tight. Her knuckles were turning white.

"What?" Benjy asked, fear evident on every inch of his face.

But, Marina was all determination, "That... woman. I know who she is."

She stood up, ready to jump back into the fight. Quickly, Marina found the smug Death Eater laughing maniacally as she sent a fiery curse toward a seventh year Gryffindor Marina recognized as Frank Longbottom.

Down the street, Lily jumped out of Honeydukes with eyes blazing. She saw Marina booking it across the road with Benjy making his way behind her, Remus and Peter fighting alongside one another, and James taking two attackers on at once. Lily watched as a third crept up behind the boy, and her eyes widened.

Sprinting forward, Lily reached James' side, " _Stupefy_!"

James' attacker collapsed to the ground, frozen. Lily and James shared a quick look and dove back into the battle side-by-side.

Dodging curse after curse and sending spells back in a fury, Marina reached the mysterious woman, holding her wand out in front of her.

"Well, well, well," the woman's cackling laughter made her wince. "Girlie Potter, look at you! All determined... to do what, exactly?"

Marina remained silent, staring her down. The woman sent a curse her way, but Marina blocked it without a look. Another, and again, she blocked it.

"Why are you here?" Marina spat, raising her wand. "What do you want?"

"I thought you'd know the answer to that," Marina could hear the smirk on her opponent's face.

Another curse, and Marina had to throw her whole body into blocking it. She panted, trying to catch her breath, and her eyes narrowed. The nonverbal spell she cast sent the woman flying to the ground, but before Marina could get another spell in, the woman scrambled to her feet. Marina froze; in the midst of the fall, the woman's mask fell off and now laid on the ground across the snowy road.

As Marina stared into the cold eyes of Bellatrix Black, Sirius' cousin, her stance faltered. She finally realized why these Death Eaters arrived at Hogwarts during one of the first Hogsmeade trips of the year. They were here for Sirius.

Marina looked away from Bellatrix, only focused on finding one person among the crowd. He was nowhere to be found.

"Poor little Potter, and I thought you two were inseparable?" Bellatrix cackled. "We'll find him for you, don't worry..."

Benjy stepped up to Marina's side, glaring at Bellatrix, "Stay away from her, you hear me?"

More laughter, and Bellatrix waved her wand around, "Oh, Marina, shouldn't you be a little more concerned with my cousin?" Bellatrix gave a triumphant smirk and looked past Marina's shoulder, and she turned.

Sirius was defending himself well from the influx of dark curses, but Marina's breath hitched at the sight of bright green mixed in: killing curses. They weren't trying to capture, they were trying to kill him for abandoning his family's dark traditions and escaping to the Potter's.

Her feet carried her faster than she thought was possible, away from Benjy, away from Bellatrix, and toward Sirius. She tuned out the crazed laughter echoing from Sirius' older cousin, knowing all she had to do was get to him, and they'd beat this. Together.

"Sirius!" she called, and his head turned a fraction of an inch to see her.

His opponent raised his wand higher, ready to strike while Sirius was distracted, but Marina sent a body-binding spell his way without an ounce of mercy.

"Marina—" he took in her appearance, searching for any sign of injury.

"I-I'm fine, but they're here..." she panted. "They're here for you."

Sirius' eyes steeled, looking over Marina's head. His cousin was smirking at the pair of them across the battlefield, a mischievous glint in her eye that could only result in something horrible. His assumption was correct, it seemed, when the remaining followers of Voldemort began to form a circle around the two teens. Sirius' grip on Marina's hand tightened, and the two exchanged a look, holding their wands higher. There was no way they'd make it out of here alive, not without help.

A blazing fire erupted in the middle of the fight, throwing several of the Death Eaters backward. Stepping out from the flames was Albus Dumbledore, his phoenix soaring high above the village, cawing melodically.

Upon his appearance in Hogsmeade, the Death Eaters began to apparate away with a puff of black smoke. Those encircling Marina and Sirius seemed to linger a bit longer than others, but then took another look at Dumbledore and disappeared. Bellatrix was one of the last to go. She was obviously furious with the older wizard for interrupting her raid, hissing at Sirius and Marina before vanishing.

Looking around Hogsmeade, broken doors, windows, and small fires were everywhere. Benjy appeared next to Marina and Sirius. The boy glanced down at their intertwined hands, but he said nothing.

"Students of Hogwarts, please make your way back to the castle, and to your dormitories," Dumbledore spoke softly. "If you have been injured, please accompany me to the Hospital Wing. Food will be sent up to rooms at dinner if you'd prefer to remain in your rooms after this terrible event."

Marina saw her brother across the village, standing alongside Lily with an air of defiance. He wanted to keep fighting. Marina frowned; she knew the feeling.

✱✱✱✱✱

Lily closed the dormitory door behind her and Marina, glancing around to see if anyone else were there yet. When she saw the coast was clear, the redheaded witch took off her scarf, balled it up, and threw it at the back of Marina's head.

Marina turned around, obviously unhurt and raising an eyebrow, "Can I help you?"

"Why the hell did you go on a date with Benjy Fenwick?" Lily crossed her arms.

"Because he asked me?" Marina gave her a look. "And, er, he's fit?"

"Oh, so that's why you were distracted the whole time," Lily retorted.

"I was not distracted..." Marina narrowed her eyes. "How would you even know that? I didn't see you at all today."

Lily thought it wouldn't be a good time to point out that James spoke to her about Marina after seeing the two on their date at the Three Broomsticks.

"Nevermind how I know," Lily shook her head, sighing. "Do you think it's working out between you two?"

Marina opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. She didn't want to think that there was a specific reason why she couldn't go on a date with Benjy and enjoy herself. Her mind kept slipping back to the image of a certain troublemaker's smile. She wasn't sure, but based on Lily's persistence, apparently she was.

"Don't you think the reason it's not working out is because you don't want it to?" Lily continued. "Because there's someone else...?"

"Lily, I can't talk about this—" Marina shook her head.

"Why not?" Lily frowned.

"Because I can't think about him like that—" Marina exclaimed, but she was interrupted again.

"Why _not_?" Lily insisted.

"Sirius has hurt me too many times, and if we're ever going to be friends again, I can't screw it up with this," Marina shook her head, further convincing herself. "Besides, Benjy is so sweet, and nice, and handsome—"

Lily set her sharp green eyes on Marina's, "But do you love him, Marina?"

Marina's cheeks lit with color, and her eyes blazed with a mix of emotions. The one taking over just happened to be anger, "I can't talk about this anymore."

" _Marina—_ "

"Just drop it, Lily!" Marina was yelling now.

Lily clamped her mouth shut, and the room was silent.

The door handle turned, and the sound of voices filled the awkward silence of the dormitory. Dorcas, and Marlene entered, not paying any mind to the tension between the other two girls.

"I'm going to the Common Room," Marina grabbed her bag and wand. "See you guys later."

Lily didn't say anything in response, her mouth set into a thin line.

The door closed with a resounding slamt. It sounded final to Marina. Lily wasn't convinced.

✱✱✱✱✱

Monday morning, Marina stayed in bed, pretending not to hear Lily's calling for her to come to breakfast. As soon as the redhead left the room with a roll of her eyes, Marina was on her feet, preparing for the day.

She made it down to the Great Hall at the very end of breakfast. She took a moment to choose between sitting next to the Marauders or the girls, knowing she was in a bit of an awkward position with people in both groups. After much deliberation, she decided she was less upset with Lily and sat down next to her and Marlene, scooping the remaining slices of bacon onto the plate in front of her.

"Good morning," Lily looked smug, and she held her mug of tea to her lips as she spoke her next words. "Thought a lot about what I said last night?"

Marina took a bite of her bacon and flipped the girl off, her black-painted fingernails adding to the effect.

Lily only laughed, shaking her head, "Marlene agrees with me."

Marlene shrugged, "Sorry, Mar."

"Traitor," Marina mumbled, taking another bite.

The Hall seemed to quiet down all of a sudden, causing Marina to frown in confusion. She followed other students' line of sight to Dumbledore standing at his podium in front of the professors' table.

"What could he be announcing?" Marlene asked, but the other two girls could only shrug.

"Students of Hogwarts," Dumbledore's eyes twinkled the way Marina assumed they always had, like he knew something others didn't. "I'm sure you're all wondering why I've come to address you this morning."

A few Hufflepuffs sitting close to the podium suddenly clapped during the headmaster's pause, and they turned red when no one seemed to join in. The action only made Dumbledore's smile grow, and he continued.

"After much deliberation between our professors and myself regarding the recent attack and increase in certain pureblood ideology, we have decided to uplift the spirit and promote unity among our fine school by holding a Winter Ball," Dumbledore cheerfully announced.

The hall erupted into excited chatter, including both the Marauders and the girls sitting around Marina. She, on the other hand, felt nothing but a mix of discouragement and anxiety. Her eyes unconsciously searched the room for the black-haired boy she knew would be sitting beside her brother.

Unbeknownst to her, Sirius felt the same rush of despondency at the news. When he found the courage to sneak a look in her direction, she'd already looked away.

"Next weekend, the Great Hall will be transformed into the perfect ballroom," Dumbledore continued. "Now, students, I do believe you still have class today. Off you go!"

Lily stood up, settling her bag on her shoulder as she turned to face Marina. She'd opened her mouth to say something regarding Sirius and the ball, but taking one look at Marina's crestfallen face, she knew it wouldn't be fair. Marlene shook her head at Lily, wincing. It seemed they had both seen it.

"Come on," Lily held out a hand for her, "we're gonna be late for Potions."

Marlene nudged her shoulder, smiling in silent encouragement. Marina's frown remained, but she stood up and followed her to class.


	11. Sneaking Around Isn't Hard To Do

The lightning flashed for the seventh time in five minutes, brightening the room considerably. Marina looked outside again, smiling at the storm.

"Marina, just drink the damn potion already," James rolled his eyes.

The Marauders and Marina were in the boys' room, sitting in a circle around the potion that after months of brewing was finally finished. The journey to make Marina an Animagus was finally coming to a close, but she still wouldn't drink the potion.

Marina's jaw dropped, "Excuse me! This is a big moment!"

"Yeah, Prongs," Remus laughed. "It's not every day someone finishes the process to illegally turn into an animal to help their friend who's a werewolf!"

James huffed, "She's been staring at the thing for fifteen minutes now! Any longer and we'll have to make the potion over again."

"Come on, Marina!" Peter stared excitedly at the girl. "Don't you wanna see which animal you are?"

Sirius was sitting silently, watching from a small distance. He wasn't necessarily out of their little circle, but he felt removed from the situation. Well, he did, that was until Marina turned to look right at him.

"What do you think, Sirius?" Marina's eyes twinkled at the sight of him. "Should I drink it?"

His heart ached as she addressed him. He could've ignored it; he was still embarrassed, even heartbroken, but was it worth losing _this_? Sirius knew her tease was forced, but the sight of her looking at him, prompting him to join the conversation with a smile on her face was enough for a grin to break out across his.

"What, you're not scared, are you?" he shot back.

Marina looked satisfied that he had responded, and she replied with tossing the contents of the potion back, chugging it as though it were Butterbeer.

"See, that wasn't so hard, was it?" James shook his head with a smile.

The girl shivered, the thick, sludgy potion still making its way down her throat, "That was disgusting."

"Honestly, I've had worse," Remus shrugged. "My mom's a terrible cook, also, I've eaten live rabbits before."

James snorted, "Here's hoping Marina isn't a bunny."

"I'm not gonna be a bunny!" she exclaimed, but her voice wavered. The moment of truth was upon her, and she had no idea if she would end up to be some sort of rabbit or not.

Marina only had one fear; she wanted to help Remus in any way she could, but if she ended up being something weak or unhelpful, she knew that the boys would push her away again. Besides, werewolves were predators, and a bunny would stand no chance, even less than a human witch.

"You can do it, Mar," Peter encouraged. "Just think really hard. You have to really want to turn."

"Not only that," James added. "You have to be so determined that your entire body feels the transition in every cell. If you're not sure, or you're hesitating even slightly, then it won't work, or worse, you'll end up with a tail for the rest of your life."

Marina winced, "Yeah, okay."

Sirius watched her carefully, the anxiety on her face wasn't hidden very well.

"Let's just give her some time," he spoke up, shrugging. "None of us got it on the night we took the potion. She's just gotta work up to it."

Marina's eyes filled with gratitude, "Thanks."

The rest of the Marauders nodded, figuring it was the smart thing to do.

"I'll have it by the next full moon," Marina promised.

"Alright, but don't push it," James pointed out. The boy stood up, "Ready for dinner?"

Peter jumped up with such intensity one would've thought he were starving, "Yes!"

"Marina?" Remus asked, offering her a hand to help her up.

She took it, but smirked, "Actually, the girls and I have plans."

The Marauders stared at her, wondering what the look of triumph on her face meant.

Before they could ask, she said, "We're sneaking out tonight to get a head start on the best dresses from Hogsmeade. We didn't want to show up during the rush of the next visit, and since you guys have the map—"

"No, no, no, nope," James shook his head, "You can't take the map! If Evans knows I have that—"

"She's already known that you have that," Marina shook her head. "She's kind of a genius, you know."

James sighed, "Yeah, I know."

"We're taking the secret tunnel through Honeydukes," Marina informed them. "Cover for us if anything goes wrong, and don't worry, we aren't taking your precious Invisibility Cloak, so don't bother lecturing me about that."

"Don't come crying to me when you get detention for a month," James scoffed.

Marina laughed, opening the boys' door to leave, "Love you, too."

"Good luck, Mar," Sirius called as she turned to leave.

The girl smiled at him, her cheeks more rosy than before, "Thanks, Sirius."

He watched her go, the awkward tension between them pulling at him like a rubberband. It wouldn't be long before one of them let go and they inevitably snapped.

✱✱✱✱✱

As the excitement regarding the Unity Ball (that's what Dumbledore called it) circulated around Hogwarts, it was clear that everyone was looking for their perfect date to the dance. It seemed the scramble for dates was working against the push for unity among Hogwarts students; there had already been tearful exchanges in the hallway as dates were "stolen" among friends and even across all four houses. No one was safe.

Marina frowned at the sight of a Hufflepuff girl being comforted by an angry Ravenclaw boy as he rubbed her back and murmured calming things in her ear. She wondered if the Hufflepuff would even realize what she had right next to her. The Ravenclaw obviously cared deeply for the girl as he got upset on her behalf. Perhaps if he got up the courage to...

She shook her head, ridding herself of the thought. Just because the two were close didn't mean they weren't just friends.

Like her and Sirius.

Marina turned a corner, her distracting train of thought almost causing her to walk headfirst into a young Gryffindor hurrying in the other direction. As she reached the entrance to the passage to Honeydukes, Marina sighed, wondering how she should approach asking a date to the Unity Ball, or if she should even bother at all. Every time she imagined dancing with someone at the ball, only one person filled that space.

Ever since they kissed, Marina felt a ball of nerves in the pit of her stomach whenever she saw Sirius. She wasn't sure if she wanted to sprint away from him as fast as she could, or jump into his arms and never let him go. It was quite discouraging, and the only thing that kept her from acting on such impulses was the image of Sirius' pleading eyes flashing through her mind, begging her to forget what happened.

It was a mistake. They were friends, that's all they were, regardless of what had happened. Marina had to forget, and Sirius was right.

 _It was a mistake_ , she told herself.

But the voice in her head spoke louder, _Then why didn't it feel like one?_

"Marina!" a voice called, tearing her from her thoughts.

She was startled, and a blush appeared on her cheeks as she tried to put away the scandalous thoughts rampaging through her brain. Marina composed herself quickly, clearing her throat. As she focused, she saw that Marlene, Lily, Dorcas, and Mary had appeared, practically screaming that they were up to something suspicious.

Marina snorted in amusement. They were all wearing dark clothing, obviously not wanting to be seen at night. It was clear that she was dealing with amateurs, but at least they had the spirit.

Lily noticed her expression and frowned, "What?"

The other girls took in Marina's appearance; she'd come from the boys' rooms and didn't feel the need to change into "stealth mode" like her roommates. She wore jeans and a sweatshirt over a t-shirt for warmth, looking like the textbook definition of ease. Marina had even tossed James' scarf around her neck as she left as an afterthought, considering the temperature in the tunnel. She laughed inwardly when she realized she thought more about the weather than the prospect of getting caught.

"Nothing, nothing," Marina shook her head. "You all look great."

Mary made a disparaging sound, but at least she stayed silent. Marina had told them all to meet her at the statue of the One-Eyed Witch on the third floor, and the girl checked her watch, perfectly on time.

"Alright," she began, whispering, "it's a bit of a long walk, but it'll be worth it. Honeydukes will be closed at this hour, but they don't have any security charms on the cellar, so it won't be a problem to sneak out of the door down there. Then, it's a straight shot to Teasdale's."

The four girls stared at her, slightly amazed but mostly nervous. Marina cracked a smile and pulled out the Marauder's Map. She mumbled the words under her breath so that the other girls wouldn't hear, checking for anyone in the corridors that could be an issue. When she was satisfied that no one would come to get them in trouble.

"C'mon, it's almost curfew," she gestured toward the wall. Marina turned to the statue of the witch, " _Dissendium_."

The witch's hump opened to reveal the small slide that Marina knew led to the tunnel to Hogsmeade. She turned to see the shocked faces of her roommates. She couldn't help the smirk that appeared on her lips.

Marlene was the first to oblige, sending Marina a mischievous smile as she slid through the small passage. Her excitement was contagious, and Dorcas followed after her. Marina checked the map once more, but the coast was still clear. Lily stepped up to the One-Eyed Witch and shook her head in quiet amazement before sliding down toward the tunnel after her friends.

Mary looked reluctant to follow the other girls, and she was especially reluctant to do anything Marina said. It wasn't a secret that the two had been at odds since Halloween, not that they were ever great friends before.

Instinctively, Marina took a look at the map once more, and her heart skipped a beat when she saw Filch and his wretched cat making their way onto the third floor.

"Mary, go now," Marina ordered, trying to rush her. "Quick, Filch—"

"How do we even know if this is safe?" the girl interrupted, and Marina wondered if she tried to be difficult or if that simply came naturally to her.

" _Mary_ ," Marina's voice must've conveyed her urgency, because the other Gryffindor slid down the passage with only a moment's hesitation and a resounding huff.

Filch was almost around the corner, and Marina practically dove headfirst through the passage as soon as Mary had vanished from sight. When she landed at the bottom of the slide, she narrowly missed kneeing Mary in the head, but she was in too much of a rush to close the passage before Filch saw it to even care. She said the password again in a rush, and the passageway closed.

Lighting her wand without a word, Marina checked the map, sighing in relief when Filch walked past their secret passage without a glance. Good thing, because the boys would've killed her if Filch knew about even one of their passages.

It took her a moment before she realized the other girls were watching her.

Marina cleared her throat, "Ready to go?"

"Merlin, Marina," Dorcas laughed, full of excitement. "Do you and the boys do stuff like this all the time?"

"Yeah, pretty much," her lopsided grin and sparkling eyes reminding them of another Potter troublemaker. "Usually much smoother, but it's your first time, there were bound to be a couple hiccups."

"Let's hope that was the only one," Lily laughed, shaking her head.

The tunnel was dark enough that they couldn't see one another without Marina's wandlight. At once, they all lit their own, and looked off into the direction of Hogsmeade. With one more glance, Marina smiled brightly at her roommates and began the journey toward the village.

✱✱✱✱✱

Marina was the first one outside of the cellar, checking left and right for any sign of people. When she decided the coast was clear, the others followed her, taking off across the lightly frosted ground toward Teasdale's Dress Shop.

"Wait!" Lily gasped. "How are we going to get past the security charms on Teasdale's?"

Marina could only smirk, hoping for the chance to prove her troublemaker status to someone who wasn't already used to it. The girl muttered the necessary countercharms, and she simply opened the front door to the shop.

"I asked Flitwick for a bit of advanced study in Charms last term," she couldn't hide the triumph on her face. "He was more than happy to teach me some security charms and their counters to help quench my thirst for knowledge."

"Classic Ravenclaw," Marlene shook her head in awe.

Marina held the door open for the other four, "Go ahead."

When they were inside, Marina cast a strong Silencing charm around the shop, not wanting anyone to hear anything and report any suspicious activity. She smiled at her handiwork, or wandwork, and turned her attention toward the dresses. Her roommates were already scouring the racks, excited smiles on their faces.

"You've really done it, Marina," Lily laughed. For a Gryffindor prefect, the girl looked positively delighted that they managed to sneak inside a dress shop in Hogsmeade after curfew. Her delighted look wore off as she lifted a pale purple dress from the dress and wrinkled her nose, "Nope."

"What do you have against purple?" Dorcas asked, taking the dress from her.

"Lavender washes me out," Lily shrugged. "Sad, it's such a pretty color though."

"It'd look hot on you, D," Marlene called from the other side of the store, a happy glint in her eye. "Try it on!"

Dorcas blushed, and Lily shared a knowing look with Marina across the dress rack.

"Is this ugly?" Mary asked, holding up an orange dress with a frown. Dorcas took the distraction like a lifeline, and the two debated the color orange on the girl's skin tone.

"So," Marina cleared her throat, holding up two dresses, one navy blue and the other a dark green, "I think these colors would go beautifully with your hair, Miss Evans."

Lily bit her lip, studying them, "You think? I'm not sure that strapless one is, er, my style."

Marlene appeared at their side, nudging her with her elbow, "Now you _have_ to try it."

"Are you sure? I mean—"

"Go on, Evans," Marina shoved the navy dress into her arms and toward the fitting room. Lily thought she sounded too much like her brother in that moment, and it made her smile.

"Oh, all right," she laughed, taking the dress from Marina's arms.

It was dark blue, lacking sleeves, and it flared out at her waist until it reached the floor. The material was silky, and as she slipped it on, she found that it fit her perfectly, feeling soft on her skin. Lily managed to zip the back by herself and smiled into the mirror. The dark dress hugged her body in all the right places, and the deep blue hue made her dark red hair look brighter and more lively than usual. Lily let out a gasp at the sight, loving the choice Marina made for her.

"I'll take that to mean that you like it!" Marlene called from outside, laughing. Lily heard the two high-five.

"Show us!" Marina called.

She opened the curtain, and the two smiled brightly, "Do you like it?"

"Love it!" Marlene agreed, nodding.

"Damn," Lily chuckled, turning to look at her back in the mirror. "That was easy."

"Lucky," Dorcas mumbled, shaking her head. "You look great, Lils."

"You know who's going to absolutely _love_ seeing her in that dress?" Marlene teased. Marina scoffed, turning to look at the other racks for a dress to suit her as her friend continued, "James."

Lily's eyes flicked to where the Potter girl had retreated, shocked when an anxious, fluttering feeling suddenly erupted in the pit of her stomach at what Marlene insinuated. Crossing her arms, she dismissed the sensation as quick as it came. Her instinct reaction to James escaped her lips before she could stop it.

"I should bloody hope not," her voice filled with distaste.

Marina rolled her eyes, the action obvious enough for Lily to have seen it. Wincing, Lily backtracked, deciding to let her pride go.

"Actually," the prefect sighed, "he hasn't been... terrible. He's an all right guy, you know, if you get to know him."

Mary's and Dorcas' jaws practically dropped to the floor, but Marina held back a smile, holding her bottom lip between her teeth.

"But... you always said—" Mary exclaimed.

"Kind of like what she always said about me," Marina interrupted. Lily looked at her with guilt, but Marina was only teasing. "And, people change. I'm pretty cool, right?"

Mary mumbled something under her breath, but Marlene and Dorcas laughed, the latter replying, "Eh, only when you're sneaking us out of the castle for late night shopping."

"Only then," Lily agreed, and they giggled to themselves again.

Marina's eye caught a bright red dress from the rack near the back of the store, sheer material cascading down to look like flames. The sweetheart neckline and thin straps were beautiful, and the girl looked up, a smug grin on her face.

"Marlene!" she called. "I found your dress!"

"How does she _do_ that?"

✱✱✱✱✱

When the girls were satisfied with their dress choices, ecstatic that they got to them before the girls of Hogwarts were able to pick the racks apart for the best dresses, Marina set them up on a rack in the back of the store with tags reading "On Hold." By simply adding their names to the tags on their dresses' hangers to match the other pieces on hold, they'd be waiting for them on the next Hogsmeade visit weekend.

Despite the work it took to get the five Gryffindor girls there, they all agreed that it was so worth it.

When they reached the passage again after their hour long walk back to the castle, Marina checked the map for any passerbys, coming up empty. Her grin brightened, happy with a successful mission. She turned to her friends, seeing that they looked sleepy; it was approximately midnight now. Marina checked the map again, happy to note that the coast was entirely clear all the way up to the Gryffindor dorms; Filch was on the first level, and the prefects on rounds were three floors above their current position.

"Alright, we're in the clear," Marina smiled, not feeling tired in the slightest. She supposed she was used to staying awake for expeditions like this. She turned to the passage exit, " _Dissendium_."

She was the first one out, helping the others step down from the One-Eyed Witch. When they all gathered outside the statue, she sighed, remembering the lines James forced her to say.

"Okay, so I've been instructed to say that if you tell anyone about the passageway that I will be forced to hex you twice daily until we leave Hogwarts," Marina paused, thinking. "Oh, also, betrayal is an ugly trait that will certainly end you up alone and/or dead. Thank you for your loyalty."

Marlene shrugged, nodding, "Sounds about right."

"We'd never tell anyone," Mary scoffed, crossing her arms. Marina believed her; like the girl would do anything to get on Sirius' bad side.

"Your secret is safe with us," Dorcas agreed with a smile. "But, if you're ever in need of a trip again—"

"You'll be the first ones I call," Marina's insides felt warm. She felt like she was truly a part of this group of Gryffindor girls, and she was happy to call them all her friends. Her eyes passed over Mary, and she realized she'd even consider her a friend. Albeit, a quite annoying, ridiculous friend who sometimes got on her nerves, but a friend nonetheless. Marina smiled at her friends, "We should probably get going."

Lily seemed to notice the revelation Marina had, and linked her arm through hers, "Let's go then, Potter."

The group walked only a bit before Marina glanced down at the open map. Her mouth tilted into a frown, concentrating on a bundle of names around the Dungeons.

The names Snape, Rosier, Mulciber, Nott, and several others that Marina couldn't identify were leaving the Slytherin dorms and walking across the downstairs level of the castle.

"Huh?" Marina mumbled to herself, squinting at the paper.

Dorcas, Mary, and Marlene were walking a couple steps ahead, leading the way to the dorms, but Lily noticed Marina's confusion.

"What?" Lily asked, her voice quiet.

Marina didn't hesitate before showing Lily the map, and the other girl took on a similar expression to her friend's.

"What the hell are they all doing at this hour?" Marina muttered. "It can't be anything good."

Lily suddenly remembered the same group of Slytherins in the middle of the night not too long ago, passing her and James as they hid underneath the Invisibility Cloak, and her eyes widened.

"This isn't the first time," she whispered, eyes wide as she pieced it together. "James and I, we were out late one night, it was past curfew just like this, and they walked right by us, hurrying and saying they were late for something!"

"What?" Marina's eyes practically bugged out of her head.

"I know!" Lily nodded. "We thought they might've been going to some kind of meeting, but what for, we didn't know—"

" _You were out of the dorms with my brother past curfew?_ " Marina whisper-yelled, gesturing crazily with the map in hand. "Were you _alone_ with him?"

Lily spluttered, searching for an answer, "That was hardly the point of what I was saying—"

"Oh Merlin, you were," Marina's jaw hung open, but her eyes danced with mischief. "Oh, Sirius is going to have an aneurysm when he finds out—" she cut herself off, frowning. After a moment, Marina cleared her throat, "So, you thought they were going to a meeting or something?"

Lily took the subject change gladly, "Well, since they said they were late to wherever they were going, it seemed like a likely guess."

"A meeting for what though?" Marina frowned. She glanced back at the map, seeing the group heading toward the classrooms on the second floor of the castle. When she looked back up, Marina realized they were stood in front of the Fat Lady.

"Abstinence," Marlene told her, smiling innocently. The Fat Lady looked miffed that they'd been out past curfew, but she let them in without too much of a complaint.

Marina hesitated, watching the group enter one of the classrooms and stop moving. Lily caught the look, and she frowned, shaking her head immediately.

"No," she said pointedly.

Marina frowned at her, "I wasn't going to do anything—"

"You want to follow them," Lily replied, raising an eyebrow. "You are going to do no such thing."

"Why not?" more of an exclamation than a question. "They could be up to something, and if what they're doing has anything to do with the attack on Hogsmeade—"

"They're still kids, Marina!" Lily scoffed. "They can't have had anything to do with that. That was all Death Eaters, right? Those terrible followers of—"

"Voldemort," Marina interrupted, a knowing look on her face. "But, those followers," she held up the map, pointing at the names, "those are their families. Mulciber, Rosier—"

"Black," Lily pointed out.

Marina's anger flared immediately, "Sirius is _not_ like his family—"

"I know," Lily's composure threw Marina off. "Who's to say that they followed in their parents footsteps, too?"

Marina was quiet, she should've known that Lily would try to find a way to defend them. Despite her rocky relationship with Severus Snape, Lily wouldn't allow herself to think that he could be involved with the psychopaths killing Muggle and Muggle-born families across the Wizarding World.

"It's not the same, and you know it," Marina replied, shaking her head.

Her gaze landed on the map once more, and her eyes were drawn to one specific name just exiting the Dungeons. Her breath stopped, heart clenching at the sight.

"Come on," Lily dropped it, turning to the open portrait and trying a different approach. "Don't go tonight. They'll have other meetings, surely, and you don't even have the Invisibility Cloak. Besides, it'd be something James would want to see, not to mention Sirius."

The mention of Sirius tore her out of her shock, and she gave Lily a reluctant nod.

"You're right," Marina's voice sounded dull, and she checked the map once more to see if she weren't just seeing things.

Her heart sank again as she watched the name move swiftly through the castle toward the group on the second floor, and without another word to Lily, she passed into the Gryffindor dormitories.

As she fell asleep that night, bidding goodnight to her friends and pulling her curtains around her bed, she prayed that the meeting wasn't what she suspected. If it were, then it meant trouble for Hogwarts, not to mention, everywhere else.

✱✱✱✱✱

Marina squeezed her eyes shut as she focused with every ounce of her being, or so she thought. Her eyes opened, and she looked in the mirror; all she saw was her normal, human self.

"Damn," she swore. The Animagus transition was proving to be as difficult as the boys warned.

She was waiting in their room for them to return from wherever they'd gone off to, planning on explaining what she'd seen on the map the night before. Marina threw herself onto the nearest bed, discouraged and slightly pissed off at herself for the lack of result.

The door swung open, surprising her, but not enough to move her from the comfortable position she'd taken up while her negative self-thoughts poisoned her brain. The girl turned her head and saw only one person standing in the doorway: Sirius.

Marina was suddenly very aware of the fact that the bed she had draped herself across was his.

With impressive speed, she lurched to her feet, her cheeks turning red. Sirius looked over his shoulder like he was wishing someone else would appear in the room, but he had to hold back a grimace when he realized that it was the two of them, alone. He tried to maintain the casual confidence that he usually exuded without effort, and Marina ran a hand through her dark hair in an attempt to give off an air of nonchalance.

"Er, sorry, to barge in," the words sounded stupid in her own ears. She'd done it for years, why was it suddenly something to apologize for? Ignoring herself, she continued, "I have something kinda important to tell you. Well, you, and the boys, but mostly you—"

"You transformed?" Sirius guessed, his excitement weighing over his awkwardness.

Marina winced, shaking her head, "No, not yet. It's a lot harder than I imagined it'd be."

"Don't worry, you'll get it soon," he assured her, shrugging. "I got it about a week after we all drank the potion. Of course, James had to get it on his third try, that wanker. He didn't stop bragging for weeks."

The girl smiled, imagining her brother bragging about transforming into a deer, "I'm sure he was even more insufferable than he is now."

"Almost," Sirius's lips quirked upward into a cautious smile. He paused as he remembered Marina's words, "If that wasn't it, what important thing did you need to tell us?"

Marina jumped into the explanation Lily gave her about Snape, Mulciber, and Nott in the middle of the night. When she said that Lily was with James that night and they'd used the Invisibility Cloak to hide from the Slytherins, his jaw dropped, looking similarly to how Marina reacted when she'd heard.

"Together? Past curfew? Outside the dorms?" he pieced together, shock paired with amusement on his face. His eyes lit with excitement.

Marina nodded rapidly, "I know! That's what I said!"

The two laughed for a moment, enjoying the harmless gossip before Marina remembered the point of her story. She mentioned the Slytherins meeting in an empty classroom on the second floor and how Lily wouldn't let her go to eavesdrop, which Sirius silently thanked the other Gryffindor girl for.

"There's this thought that won't leave my head," Marina frowned. "If this is what I think it is, then they're meeting in support of You-Know-Who, and if that's true, then they could've had something to do with that attack on Hogsmeade. What if they're helping them from inside here? What if they're helping your asshole family get to you?"

Sirius' jaw clenched in anger, "I wouldn't be surprised."

Marina glanced down at her hands, "But, there's something else."

"What?" he sensed her uneasiness, and he frowned.

"There was someone else who went to the meeting last night," Marina forced herself to look at him. She searched his grey eyes for any source of comfort, and she found what little she could as she spoke softly. "It was your brother, Sirius. It was Regulus."


	12. Human Shields

Marina told Sirius not to do anything, warning him against confronting his brother until the rest of the boys knew about what Marina had seen on the map. In usual Sirius style, he completely ignored her and took the map to find and talk to Regulus as soon as he had a moment alone.

The map told him that Regulus was on the second floor, making his way down to the Slytherin Common Room with another name Sirius knew belonged to a sixth year Slytherin. Sirius rushed through the castle, determined to speak with his brother, to learn the truth of what he was doing.

"Regulus," he called across the corridor. His brother stopped in his place, his back to him. The girl walking with him, Anastasia Claire, Sirius remembered, looked to Regulus with concern.

"It's fine," Regulus muttered to her, finally turning to face Sirius.

Anastasia nodded, eyes flicking to Sirius with concern, but something unrecognizable crossed her face. Was it hope? No, it couldn't be. That wouldn't make any sense; Sirius dismissed the thought.

"I'll meet you in the Common Room," Anastasia's quiet voice barely reached Sirius' ears, and she left without another glance in his direction.

"Reg?" Sirius asked. "We need to talk."

Regulus winced at the nickname, but he allowed Sirius to approach him, "What do you want, Sirius?"

Sirius paused. He hadn't spoken to his brother since the night he left his home for good, the night his mother blasted him off the family tapestry. He wasn't even sure Regulus was allowed to call him his brother anymore.

"Mar—" he caught himself, not wanting to put Marina in the line of fire. "I saw something the other night. Past curfew, a bunch of Slytherins, and an empty classroom on second floor."

Regulus stiffened, but he maintained his composure as Sirius continued.

"Then, I saw you," Sirius frowned. "I don't know what your little meetings are about, but if you're doing all this in the middle of the night, especially with the attack on Hogsmeade and with the war..." he trailed off, frowning at his brother's emotionless face.

"You don't know what you're talking about, Sirius," Regulus frowned. "You and your friends sneak out past curfew all the time, what makes this any different?"

"You know exactly what makes this different," Sirius hissed, too annoyed to go along with him playing dumb. "If these wannabe Death Eaters are planning anything to get on the Dark Lord's good side—"

The slight widening of Regulus' eyes let Sirius know that he hit it right on the mark.

"So," Sirius' heart sank, looking Regulus over once more, "you're going to join them."

Regulus avoided Sirius' eyes, "It'd be an honor."

"An _honor_?" Sirius spat.

"Yes, an honor," Regulus shot back. "Certainly more so than associating with Mudbloods like that horrible Evans girl—"

"Watch it," Sirius stepped forward, eyes blazing. He couldn't believe he was hearing the filth his parents preached coming out of his brother's mouth. "She's my friend."

"Then you're a blood-traitor, just like your _new_ family," Regulus couldn't even look at him, and Sirius felt a wave of guilt wash over him.

It was his fault. His little brother... they'd gotten to him. All because he wasn't strong enough to fight his parents for him. For a moment, Sirius saw the little boy he'd protected his whole life. He saw himself stepping in front of him in the midst of his father lashing out and his mother's venomous words and equally as painful curses; when Sirius left, he'd left Regulus completely alone.

"Reg," Sirius' jaw was set. "I'm sorry, I left you with them—"

"Save it," Regulus spat. "You leaving was the best thing to happen to me, to our whole family. We didn't want Muggle-loving filth like you disgracing our family name."

Sirius knew his words weren't his own, but they still hurt.

"I'm doing what's right," Sirius shot back, pushing his guilt down. He shook his head, continuing calmer than he felt, "Someday, when you realize you're siding with evil, it'll be too late."

Regulus' hand twitched, and Sirius figured if they'd kept arguing, they'd end up duelling, and he didn't want to fight him. With one more look at the person who used to be his little brother, Sirius turned his back on him. Regulus watched him go, not speaking.

Before he turned the corner, he saw his brother stalking back toward the Slytherin Common Room, hands balled into fists at his side. Sirius wished it could've been different, that he'd been strong enough to take Regulus with him when he left his family.

It seemed that Sirius' list of regrets was piling up.

✱✱✱✱✱

"C'mon, we're gonna be late!" Mary shouted across the dorm.

Dorcas had overslept, again, and she was scrambling to find her things strewn across her living area. Sighing, she knew she'd only hold Mary up, "It's fine, just go on without me."

Mary frowned, "I'll give Slughorn an excuse?"

"You can try," Dorcas scoffed, looking for her Potions book under a pile of dirty clothes. Someday, she'd learn to keep a less messy room. Mary agreed and rushed from the dorm, determined not to be late.

As she dug for the book, she came across the shirt she wore to the last Hogsmeade visit. A small blush came across her cheeks as she remembered that day. The blouse was tossed over her shoulder, but her cheeks still burned.

Lily had dragged Mary away to Honeydukes or somewhere, muttering about needing her help to find something. Dorcas hadn't had a chance to object before Marlene turned to her, the golden blonde curls bouncing across her shoulders in usual Marlene fashion. Dorcas looked up to see excitement dancing in the girl's warm brown eyes, and she'd gulped.

" _Looks like it's just us!_ " Marlene's voice echoed through her mind.

Dorcas snatched her Potions textbook from behind her nightstand—this messiness was getting ridiculous—and her wand from atop it, and she sprinted out the door.

As she jogged half-heartedly toward the Dungeons, she knew she'd be late, and there wasn't much she could do about her tardiness and inevitable loss of points for Gryffindor. Luckily for her, she was partnered with Marlene for that class as the Slytherins they were paired with previously decided to ignore their existence and work together instead. Slughorn had originally complained, but eventually decided that it was pointless to argue. Marlene would make sure she wouldn't miss anything, and the image of the girl's rosy cheeks from the cold day at Hogsmeade appeared in her mind again.

The two had an awesome time, enjoying one another's company in the Three Broomsticks before the attack started and ruined everything. Still, she and Marlene never strayed too far from one another as they did their best to fend off Lord Voldemort's nutjob followers.

It made her wonder if Marlene thought of it as... a date. She'd seemed excited when Lily and Mary went off to leave them alone, and Dorcas wasn't stupid. Hopeful, perhaps, but not stupid; maybe Marlene mentioned something to Lily about leaving them alone?

Dorcas sighed, reaching the Potions door and pushing through it. Her imagination that had previously been getting the best of her vanished when she saw the blonde girl in question turn her head upon her arrival. Marlene smirked, giving her a small shake of the head, like, _Of_ course _you overslept again._

"Welcome, Miss Meadowes," Slughorn gave her a pointed look. "Five points from Gryffindor for tardiness. It will be more, next time. Don't make it a habit."

"Of course, sir," Dorcas winced as she replied. "Sorry."

She took her seat, her head in her arms as she hid from embarrassment.

"What's with you and oversleeping?" Marlene chuckled, speaking quietly to avoid more of Slughorn's wrath. "It's becoming a personality trait, same with how messy—"

"I know!" Dorcas groaned. "I'll try to be better."

Marlene shook her head again, "Nah, it's kinda fun to watch."

Slughorn's gaze shifted in their direction, and the two went quiet for a moment. When he finally turned back to the board, discussing practicalities of a potion that Dorcas couldn't be bothered to remember when Marlene was sitting so close to her, the blonde poked her in the side.

Dorcas jumped, " _What?_ "

Marlene's smile looked different than usual, almost nervous, "I have a question for you."

"All right," Dorcas replied, but she was suddenly nervous, too.

"It's about the ball..." she cut herself off as Slughorn passed their table.

Dorcas frowned; four different boys had already asked Marlene to the ball in the time since Dumbledore announced it. Marlene had been sweet when she'd turned them down, but Dorcas had figured this time that she would tell her about the boy she'd said yes to. It was hard not to like the blonde bombshell in front of her; she was gorgeous, and Dorcas almost couldn't blame all the boys. It was alright, she'd been used to hearing about Marlene's dates at the lunch table or late at night in the dormitories, but that hadn't meant it was fun.

"I was wondering," Marlene continued, confidence returning to her voice, "if you'd want to go down together."

Dorcas' jaw hung open, she had not been expecting that, "Me and you? Together?"

"Yes," Marlene's enthusiasm hadn't wavered, and she was watching Dorcas with a knowing look on her face. "You and me, together. Would that be alright with you?"

"But... all the boys," Dorcas wondered aloud, not stopping to consider her words.

But Marlene was only smiling, "They were cute," she agreed, leaning forward as she continued, "but not as cute as you."

Dorcas was speechless, "Er, but—"

"I'd say I'd pick you up, but it wouldn't make sense as I'm pretty sure I'll be the one doing your hair," Marlene returned to her normal posture, fixing her gaze back on the board. "Sound good?"

"Y-Yes," Dorcas was smiling now, almost too big for her face.

"Great," Marlene whispered, her smile matching hers.

If Dorcas hadn't been paying attention, she might've missed the thumbs up coming from Marina and Lily's table across the room. Marlene laughed to herself and sent them a wink.

Their potion that day just barely passed inspection. It was understandable, they were both a bit distracted.

✱✱✱✱✱

Marina realized too late that Charms would mean speaking to Benjy for a full hour. It wasn't that she didn't like the Ravenclaw boy, it was that she didn't _like_ him. He'd been so sweet, so nice, but she knew she couldn't string him along. Someone better would deserve someone like him, and that was not her.

Before she'd even entered the classroom, a hand lightly caught her arm to grab her attention. As soon as the hand was on her arm, it was off of it and respectfully next to their side. Benjy, exactly the boy she was dreading seeing.

"Marina, can we talk?" he asked quickly, looking once over his shoulder.

"Yes, I needed to tell you something," Marina agreed, allowing him to pull her out of the doorway and farther down the hallway. Class didn't start for a few minutes, they had enough time. "I just wanted to say—"

"Marina, I don't think we should see each other anymore," Benjy interrupted, wincing as he said it. He looked embarrassed once he realized that he'd interrupted her, "Er, sorry."

Marina, to her credit, didn't look as surprised as she felt, "Oh, okay, well, that's fine—"

"It's just, you're a nice girl, a great girl, really," he sounded awkward as he rushed his words out. Marina believed he meant them, but she didn't believe his next words at all, "It's not you, I promise."

She crossed her arms, "Well, I knew that."

Benjy furrowed his brows, "Huh?"

"We just aren't compatible," Marina shrugged. "It happens, you know. You're a nice guy, super respectful, sweet—some girl out there is gonna be lucky, but I don't think it's me."

Benjy watched her, understanding dawning on his face, "That actually... makes a lot of sense now."

Marina frowned, "Is that not why you wanted to end this?"

"Er," he paused, and his eyes landed on something over Marina's shoulder. Before he continued, he sighed, shaking his head. "If I'm being honest, Marina, no. But hearing you say that out loud... I suppose it makes a lot more sense now."

"Then what's the reason?" Marina tried to ignore the whiny tone to her voice.

Benjy only smiled, shaking his head with amusement. "I'm not making it that easy on you."

"What?" she exclaimed. "What do you mean?"

Benjy's gaze flicked back behind Marina again, and this time, she turned. Her eyes met Sirius', standing with his back against the wall next to the door to Charms, watching them with a curious expression.

"Something for you to consider," Benjy whispered as he walked past her. He left her alone in the hallway, giving Sirius a nod on the way into the classroom.

Marina was frozen, realization seeping through her. Benjy ended their short relationship because of _Sirius_?

She walked slowly back to the classroom, passing Sirius without so much as a glance, too embarrassed to look at him. Sirius frowned, wanting to speak with her about Regulus, but she'd pretty much ignored him.

Sirius had seen the two of them speaking when he arrived, but he hadn't interrupted. It looked like an important conversation, likely Benjy was asking her to the ball. He figured he'd let Benjy have his moment, but Sirius hadn't been expecting her to just walk past him. He brushed off the hurt, figuring he would just speak to her later, if she weren't otherwise occupied with her apparent boyfriend.

Sirius fell into the seat next to James, frowning.

"What now, mate?" James asked. He'd been used to this behavior recently.

"Nothing," Sirius sighed, Flitwick had already begun teaching. "Tell you later."

James had only shrugged, accepting it.

Sirius didn't look at her once for the rest of the class, but she was too invested in her own thoughts to notice. Even when Flitwick encouraged working with partners, Marina went off on her own, letting Benjy fend for himself. He didn't seem to mind.

Merlin, even Benjy seemed to know of the inexplicable tension between she and Sirius, and if he did, maybe more people knew, too. Did everyone have some sort of opinion on the two of them? That might've been a bit far, Marina told herself, it wasn't like they were celebrities.

The ball coming up made the girl nervous. At this point, she'd prefer not to go with anyone. Marina wanted to dance with her girls, sneak firewhiskey into the Great Hall, and have a good time with her _friends_ , not worrying about boys.

Lily shot her a look across the room from her seat near Priscilla Arlington, _You good?_

Marina just shook her head. She wondered if James were planning on asking Lily to the dance. If all the boys went stag, pun unintended, maybe they could just join them, the entire Gryffindor boys and girls going as one big group. One, non-sexual, non-romantic group of people just enjoying a dance at school together.

Well, except Dorcas and Marlene, she reminded herself. Marina would have to insist that there be some romance for them.

She'd ask all them later, Marina assured herself.

✱✱✱✱✱

Classes passed that week with little difficulty. Everyone in the castle was panicking about getting the best dresses at Hogsmeade or ordering them from magazines and catalogs that their parents had sent in the mail. The unlucky ones were stuck with hand-me-down dresses and dress robes, but the excitement of a dance easily outweighed their disappointment.

The Marauders sat down next to Marina, Lily, and Marlene in the Great Hall for dinner, surprising Dorcas and Mary with their closeness. Despite always sitting at the same table, the boys had never outwardly made the decision to sit with the girls. It was a welcome surprise.

"Mum's just sending me my dress robes from home," James mentioned to Peter as he sat down, obviously continuing a previous conversation. Sirius didn't hesitate before taking a seat right next to Marina.

"The maroon ones?" Marina jumped in, frowning in thought.

"No," James rolled his eyes, "I got new ones when we got resized for school robes this year. Mum said I needed to have ones that fit me, and I guess she was right."

Marina shoveled some potatoes into her mouth, nodding to herself in an attempt to ignore the thought of Sirius sitting less than a foot away from her. _Breathe_ , she told herself. When she inhaled the scent of that cologne she helped him pick out, she winced.

"Did you guys find what you wanted from Teasdale's?" Remus asked. He smiled curiously in their direction of the girls.

"Yes," Marlene's eyes brightened. "We have our dresses ready for easy pickup tomorrow."

"Ooh, what do they look like?" James batted his eyelashes in his greatest imitation of a girl, and Lily, seated beside him, shoved him in the arm.

"You'll find out at the ball," she shot back, rolling her eyes. "It's a surprise, right girls?"

"Absolutely," Dorcas agreed, smirking with her glass held to her lips.

"That's a shame," Sirius sighed at her, feigning disappointment. "Now I won't know how to match my tie to your dress."

"Hey, back off Black," Marlene quipped. "She's my date, get your own."

The whole group smiled at that, happy the two were happy together. Dorcas blushed into her drink as Marlene laughed beside her.

"Um, hello," a voice spoke up behind James and Lily.

Marina looked past them, seeing a pretty blonde girl in their year by the name of Emily Lake. If she remembered correctly, Emily was a Chaser for the Hufflepuff House team, though she wasn't of any exceptional talent. Seeing her in front of their table with a question in her eyes... Suddenly, Marina was nervous.

"I was wondering if you might want to go with me to the ball?" their entire group was looking at Emily now, but to her credit, she was keeping a steady voice as she continued, "Er, James?"

Marlene and Dorcas snickered to themselves, turning back around as James' eyes widened. Mary simply rolled her eyes, and to Marina's surprise, Lily turned her back to the Hufflepuff girl and the smallest frown appeared on her face.

At Emily's words, Marina felt herself release a breath she didn't realize she was holding. Then, she quickly darted a look to her left to see if anyone had noticed. Sirius was watching James with a smirk, not noticing Marina's relief.

"Me?" James asked.

At this, Emily laughed, a high-pitched giggling sound that made the group wince, "Yes, you!"

Without meaning to, James turned his head to Lily sitting beside him. Any other year, James would have asked Lily to the ball at least six times a day since its announcement, but if he was going to do what he'd decided on the train coming to Hogwarts that year, and what his friends and sister have been telling him for years... he needed to move on. Maybe this was the easiest way to do that.

"Sure," James managed, a charming smile crossing his face. "Sounds fun, Emily."

Marina's eyes widened, and she turned her gaze to her plate as James bid the Hufflepuff girl goodbye and turned back to the table. The group of Gryffindors were watching James with wide eyes, all except Lily, who was eating her food as though it were the most normal thing in the world for a Hufflepuff to interrupt their meal.

James seemed to notice their looks at the same moment he bit into an apple, almost spitting as he asked, "What?"

Sirius laughed, shaking his head, "Good on you, mate."

"Alright Prongs!" Peter clapped, joining in. "She's very pretty!"

Marina turned her head, watching as Emily shared the good news with her friends at the Hufflepuff table. She could only imagine what they'd be talking about; Marina rolled her eyes and faced forward once more. As the muffled cheers from Emily and her friends reached their ears, Lily suddenly stood up, grabbing her bag.

"Lils?" Marlene began, a question in her voice.

"I forgot, I've got to send a letter to my parents, sorry," Lily excused herself, and before anyone could reply, she'd already left the room.

Marina's eyes widened a fraction of an inch. _What was with that girl?_

Sirius leaned toward her, whispering close to her, "What do you think that's about?"

Feeling Sirius' breath on her ear, Marina jumped to her feet with almost the same speed as Lily. She didn't even reply, trying to hide her flustering, "Er, I've got to go, too."

Before anyone could question her, she'd mimicked Lily's disappearing act and fled the Great Hall, leaving a confused group of friends and a slightly dejected Sirius behind her.

✱✱✱✱✱

The next day, the last Hogsmeade visit before the ball and Christmas break, was chaotic to say the least. The group of Gryffindors walked together from Hogwarts to Hogsmeade, casual conversations splitting them into smaller groups as the snow fell lightly on the path in front of them. Remus and Marlene walked on either side of Marina, talking about their DADA class from the day before or something like that—Marina had tuned them out.

Lily had been slightly distant for the rest of the day before, but was now projecting an air of optimism and excitement for the ball almost as though she were forcing herself to believe it would be the greatest night of all time.

Marina wasn't convinced; her plan for the group of Gryffindors to all go together had fallen apart with James' decision to go with Emily.

"Oh, Dorcas!" Marlene rushed forward, breaking apart from their little trio.

Marina frowned as she watched the two girls. They seemed to be the perfect new couple. She sighed, envy clouding her happy thoughts about the two of them for only a split second.

Remus sighed, glancing over his shoulder at Sirius and James walking together behind them. Mary was ever-so-slightly trailing behind them at the same pace as Peter, barely tolerating the boy's chattering alongside her.

"So," Remus exhaled, his breath visible in the air, "you don't have a date to the ball, is that what I've heard from Lily?"

Marina's jaw dropped, "She told you what Benjy said to me?"

Remus' eyebrows furrowed, "No, she just said that the two of you were not going together anymore."

"Oh," Marina frowned. She watched the redhead laugh at something Dorcas said in front of them. "Well yeah, she'd be right."

Remus paused for a moment, "Did something happen?"

"No," she replied stiffly. "He decided that we shouldn't try to force our relationship, I guess."

"Okay," he said back, not convinced. Remus thought for another moment, "Well, he'll regret not fighting for you, unless of course, you didn't want him to."

Marina caught his eye in that moment, and she could tell he had guessed what was really going on. Still, she was sick of talking and thinking about her feelings, so she ignored it.

"I guess I didn't," she mumbled before repeating the same words as before: "We just didn't match."

Remus nodded, "I understand."

They walked for a few minutes in silence, hearing only their footsteps and the occasional bout of laughter. Sirius tried not to watch Remus and Marina walk together, but they occupied his immediate line of vision, so it was difficult to ignore that they seemed to be having a serious conversation, alone. He frowned and tried to focus on what James was saying, forcing his unfounded jealousy out of his brain.

"Lily told me that you had an idea of all of us going together as a group?" Remus asked.

Marina nodded, frowning, "James kind of ruined it, but yeah. All of us together just having fun as friends, nothing else to complicate it—"

"Would you like to go with me then?" he interrupted, his voice as calm as ever. "As friends, of course."

She looked up at him, eyes wide with gratitude, "Really? That would be amazing, Remus!"

"Good, because I need someone to help me get Ariadne Rutter off my back," Remus' pleased smile turned into more of a wince. "She doesn't seem to take indifference as an answer, hopefully if I tell her I'm going with you, she'll leave me alone."

Marina burst out laughing at the thought of the short brunette girl twirling her hair and following Remus around to each class with heart eyes.

"Glad to hear you're using me as a human shield," she shook her head with a smile. "It'll be great, I can just hang out around you, no pressure, and no—"

"No Sirius?" Remus lowered his voice.

Marina's grin melted off her face, replaced by a glare. She started to walk faster, but Remus' long legs maintained her pace with ease.

"Come on, Mar," she could almost hear the roll of his eyes in his voice. When she didn't answer, he just gave a short sigh, "I'm sorry, alright?"

Marina scoffed, "It was a cheap shot."

"I know, I know," Remus frowned. "I just want to know that my friends are all right. And with everything that I've heard going on—"

"What have you heard?" Marina interrupted.

"Enough," was Remus' short answer.

The two were silent again. Marina really hoped that these kinds of conversations regarding Sirius and herself were coming to an end soon enough.

"We'll be fine," she finally said. "I just need to force myself to forget. And that means distancing myself for a bit of time, and then we'll be able to go back to normal."

Marina wished she sounded more convincing.

"Well," Remus sighed, holding his arm out for her to take, "I'll be your human shield if you'll be mine?"

She glanced up at him, and a smile broke out across her face. Remus matched her expression, and Marina linked her arm through his.

"Deal."


	13. Epiphany

Marina stared into her mirror with a frown. It had been more than two weeks after the thunderstorm that allowed Marina to take the Animagus potion, and she'd still not been able to transform. It was embarrassing, to say the least, especially knowing that the boys were able to manage it quicker at a far younger age. They kept up their encouragement, but it only made Marina more frustrated.

A shriek of laughter, Mary's, Marina guessed, interrupted her thoughts. The rest of the girls were scurrying around their dorm, getting ready for the ball with an air of contagious excitement around them.

"C'mon, Marina," Marlene called from her position behind Dorcas' head. "You're next!"

Dorcas stood, her usually untameable hair controlled by Marlene's steady hands so that it rested atop her head in a beautiful display of bountiful black curls. Her dress was the lavender one that Marlene suggested to her at the store, the light purple color standing out beautifully against the darkness of her skin tone.

Marina sat down with her back to Marlene, taking Dorcas' spot with a reluctant sigh. Perhaps this could be fun after all.

"Marlene!" Mary complained. "I thought you said I was next?"

"You're halfway through your makeup," Marlene rolled her eyes, "by the time you're finished, I'll be done with Marina."

Lily chuckled at the sight of Mary's one eye covered with mascara and eyeshadow and the other bare. Dorcas smiled as she sat down to start on her own makeup alongside Lily.

"Oh, all right," Mary sighed, conceding.

Mary was borrowing Marlene's light golden eyeshadow to pair with the fluffy pale pink dress she purchased from Teasdale's. If Marina could choose, she would put the girl's hair into some form of ballerina bun to match the tutu-like dress. She mentioned the thought to Marlene who immediately agreed.

"Good idea," Marlene fiddled with the ends of Marina's long brown hair, "but what do you want me to do with you?"

Marina shrugged, "I don't really care. Whatever you think is best."

Marlene smiled, "Yes! Total creative control?"

"Of course," she laughed, shaking her head.

Marlene giddily got to work on curling Marina's hair. Despite the charms that existed for this purpose, Marlene grew up with her mother teaching her to curl it with an iron, just like the Muggles. It was only once she reached Hogwarts in first year that she discovered all the charms and potions from magazines like Witch Weekly. Having her father as the only wizard in the family to start hadn't been much of a help in that department. Still, Marlene was more inclined to the iron, dismissing everyone's claims that it took much less time for the charms.

No one really argued with her; after all, she was the best at both methods of hair styling.

"So, how do you think James is holding up?" Marlene asked, snickering to herself.

In the week since Emily Lake asked James to the ball, she'd been incessant in her attempts to stay by his side. It was a gift that she wasn't in Gryffindor or else she might've even tried sleeping in his bed, and Marina wasn't entirely sure she hadn't asked. The other Marauders were already sick of her, and James was having a difficult time remaining civil.

Marina snorted, "That's what he gets for going out with the first girl who asked him out since he decided to move on from Lily."

"Do you think he has?" Marlene dropped another curled piece of hair. "Moved on?"

Marina watched Lily apply her mascara. Her navy dress reminded her of something out of a Muggle movie, and knowing that James would see her in it later that evening only confirmed her response.

"No," Marina sighed. She remembered Lily's quick exit from the Great Hall the week before and frowned. "I just wonder if he chose exactly the worst time to try."

Marlene raised an eyebrow, "You think Lily might..."

"I don't know," she replied. "I guess we'll see."

✱✱✱✱✱

Marina's hair was done up into an elegant ponytail, thanks to Marlene. The curls were thick and loose to give them a natural look. After Marlene had finished, she pulled out a few strands of hair and curled them lightly away from Marina's face. Looking at her appearance in the mirror, she decided she had finally finished on her makeup consisting of natural tone eyeshadow and soft gold highlight. Applying a dark red lip color as her final touch, she stepped out of the bathroom to meet her friends.

The rest of the girls had been ready to go for a couple minutes, just adding touch-ups in their waiting. Marlene passed her on her way to the bathroom, giving a quick smirk with her newly applied cherry red lipstick that matched her dress perfectly. Marlene's dress was going to be a showstopper tonight, and her usually wild hair was tamed by the braids done up in an intricate hairstyle that she'd finished on herself quicker than Marina could apply her mascara.

Marina's dress was unlike the other girls' colored ones, but with Marina's naturally tanned skin (even in the winter), Lily and Marlene insisted that she purchase the silky black dress hiding in the corner of the shop. It was tight at the top, and the slit on her right leg cut off mid-thigh; wearing it, Marina hadn't ever felt more confident. It was a beautiful dress, after all.

As she passed her nightstand, she paused. Marina reached a hand up to her left ear, feeling her usual studs in place, and she thought for a moment.

_"Picked these out just for you," Sirius' usual cocky smirk in place as he set the perfectly wrapped present into her lap. It was Marina's sixteenth birthday, but everyone else had already gone to bed. It was just the two of them in the Common Room._

_"No hints!" she shoved him, but an excited smile broke out across her lips as she tore into the package. His eyes sparkled at her excitement, and the girl held up a pair of gorgeous diamond earrings. The diamonds were huge, catching whatever light existed in the dim room. "Holy—Sirius!"_

_"Don't worry, I didn't pay for them," he assured her, already sensing her objection._

_"You stole them?" she exclaimed, pushing the beautiful piece of jewelry toward him with wild eyes._

_He only laughed, "My mother, she goes to rare jewelry auctions to buy stuff like this and lock it away. She won't miss it at all, and when I saw these..."_

_Sirius brushed her hair away from her ears, tucking it behind as he held the dangly diamonds to her cheek._

_"I knew they should belong to you," he finished, a soft smile on his lips._

_Marina was speechless, "I-I can't—"_

_"You can," he smirked, joking. "Besides, you know how much fun it is to steal from my family. Don't take this away from me."_

_She smiled and accepted her present, throwing her arms around his neck. They sat there for a moment in each other's arms, not wanting to ruin the moment, but Marina slowly pulled away._

_"Thank you," she grinned._

_"Anything for you," and his lopsided smile told her that he meant it._

Marina lurched back to reality, realizing that she'd retrieved the earrings without thinking. Without a chance to second guess herself, she took out her usual studs and replaced them with the dangly diamond ones that Sirius stole for her sixteenth birthday.

She looked at herself in the mirror, and she almost laughed. The diamonds were large, but thankfully not too large for her to think they looked out of place. They looked... perfect. Marina looked over to her friends chatting near the door, trying not to look impatient as they waited for her.

When Marlene saw her watching, she called out, "C'mon Mar, the ball started twenty minutes ago!"

Grabbing her want from her bed stand, she slipped it into the hidden wand pocket in her dress and met them at the door.

"What's that thing about being fashionably late?" she quipped.

Mary bounded out the door, clearly very excited as she led the way down the stairs to the festivities. The others followed, but Marina realized that she and Lily had unknowingly paused at the top of the landing, just out of sight of the Common Room. Lily shot Marina a glance, looking reluctant, and Marina sighed, feeling the same. Something told her that the two girls both had reason to be nervous about what they'd see at the bottom of the stairs.

✱✱✱✱✱

Sirius, Remus, and Peter were lounging around in the Common Room, waiting for the girls to come down for the ball. James was pacing the floor behind the sofa Sirius was sprawled across, muttering to himself about how "it was just one night" and "it wasn't that big a deal."

Sirius rolled his eyes, "Emily's good enough looking, Prongs, you'll be fine."

"I know," James shot back, fiddling with his black and white robes. His skinny black tie was a Muggle fashion trend that Lily mentioned once in her recalling of home, and he was proud to say he wore it quite well. The Snitch he often stole from Marina was in his pocket alongside his wand, something to calm his nerves. "That's all you've been saying for a week now and it isn't helping."

"I can dance with her sometimes," Peter spoke up, his timid voice catching their attention. He looked a little stiff in his dress robes, his black bowtie seeming a bit too tight. "If you want a break."

"Thanks Pete," James smiled at him. "See, Wormy's got my back."

Remus chuckled, and Sirius rolled his eyes again as Peter looked triumphant.

"Who knows, maybe if—" but Sirius' sarcastic comment was interrupted.

"Ah, here they come," Remus got to his feet with an easy smile. He was wearing entirely black, meant to match Marina and her dress.

Sirius frowned, remaining on the couch. His black bowtie was undone and his dark red vest was unbuttoned over his black undershirt. He didn't really care much for the dance, especially when he knew he'd see Marina and Remus, together, albeit as friends. He probably could've asked her to the dance as friends before his birthday, but he wasn't sure how she would take the invitation since then. It was just another thing he screwed up.

Mary, Dorcas, and Marlene emerged first, looking fantastic as always in their bright and colorful dresses. Sirius finally sighed and got to his feet, seeing that they would all be leaving for the Great Hall when Marina and Lily finally descended the staircase.

Peter let out an audible gasp seeing Marina, but Sirius couldn't even bring himself to tease him. She looked beautiful. Even with Lily standing next to her, all Sirius could see was the girl in black. Her hair was pulled back, and he was happy to note that he could see all of her face, none of it hidden behind the usual brunette curtain. He could see her eyes, and he could see... her ears?

He got her them for her birthday. They were his gift to her, and Marina chose to wear them to the ball.

"Are you girls finally—" James was interrupted.

"Marina," Sirius found himself saying. When everyone turned to look at him, he projected his usual calmly confident demeanor, clearing his throat, "I like your earrings."

Her smile wavered, and to his surprise, her cheeks tinted pink at his words, "Thanks, Sirius."

"Okay," James clapped his hands together in an attempt to look impatient, but he was biting his cheek in frustration. Sirius could tell that he was trying not to look at Lily standing beside his sister, and the image of the redhead standing there, looking like a Muggle movie star, was almost too much for him. "Can we go?"

"Didn't realize you were in such a hurry to meet Emily," Lily breezed by him, linking her arm with Mary's, the only other dateless girl, and led the way through the portrait hole. Marlene and Dorcas followed closely behind.

James looked like he wanted to strangle someone at hearing her words, and he turned to the other boys and Marina in exasperation.

Remus chuckled again, shaking his head and holding his arm out for Marina, "Ready, milady?"

"Of course," she laughed, taking his arm and allowing him to lead her from the room.

Sirius frowned. James took a deep breath to compose himself, and Peter led the way out of the Common Room and toward the Great Hall. It was going to be a long night.

✱✱✱✱✱

As beautiful as the Great Hall was, decorated to fit the winter festivities with snow enchanted to fall and disappear before reaching anyone's heads and filled with the festive sounds of music, laughter, and dancing, Marina was having a sub-par time.

James noticed his sister sitting at a table away from the party, looking sort of lonely, and he wondered where Remus was. When he saw that her date was talking with Lily and Sirius next to the refreshments, James understood.

"Er, could you give me a second?" James asked Emily.

She looked like she was going to disagree, but he had already left her, moving quickly toward his sister. James sat down in the seat next to her, taking a deep breath when he realized he could finally relax.

Marina smirked, leaning back in her chair, "Enjoying the dance?"

"Just about as much as you are, I reckon," he replied.

The Potter twins looked out at the enormous hall as Marina replied, "Yeah."

It was pretty with all the decorations, and James could tell that Dumbledore tried to make it a night of togetherness in the castle despite everything happening. Still, most of the Slytherins stuck to one side of the room and the Gryffindors to the other. There didn't seem to be much unity among the houses, at least, not anything that a ball was going to encourage. Marina told the rest of the boys about what she saw on the map the week before, but Remus and Peter were still hesitant to think that it meant anything too dark. James and Sirius, however, were entirely prepared to duel the next person to do anything suspicious, and Marina wasn't ashamed to say she was ready to join them. The attack on Hogsmeade, along with the increased attacks on Muggle-born families, had set them all on edge.

Marina's gaze landed on the Headmaster of Hogwarts, and she shook her head. "I don't know why Dumbledore thought this would improve anything."

"He can't be thick enough to think it would," James agreed. "Maybe there was another reason for it."

Marina shrugged, "I guess he can see everyone all at once. See who hangs around which crowd, and who's most likely to be a part of the gang of Slytherins sneaking out around past curfew."

James' eyebrows furrowed, "Do you think those Death Eater wannabes are planning something?"

The two Potters' stares were focused on the aforementioned group; Snape, Mulciber, Avery, Nott, Rosier, Wilkes... the list of names only got longer. It seemed to consist of all of the upper year Slytherins now, including Regulus. Snape was the only one who noticed them looking, and his glare was returned tenfold by the two siblings.

"I hate that guy," James muttered.

"Yeah," Marina sighed, frowning, "me too."

✱✱✱✱✱

Sirius was nowhere to be found, and Marina was hating the fact that it was bothering her.

She'd thought she'd spotted him earlier, but it was only his brother, Regulus. The Slytherin boy was standing with Anastasia Claire, a girl Marina remembered from her own year, and the two looked honestly happy together. Anastasia's white-blonde hair was done up in a tight bun, and her forest green dress was beautiful on her. Marina realized that she hadn't seen her name on the Marauder's Map the night of the second floor meeting with the other Slytherins, and she didn't quite know what to think about her.

Marina realized she'd been staring when Regulus caught her eye from across the room, his content smile falling to an uncertain frown. Marina looked away and took a sip from her glass of pumpkin juice, wishing it were something stronger.

The bright room was getting to be too much, and Marina stood up, needing a break.

As she exited the Great Hall, Marina quickly stepped out into the cold December air. The sharpness of the cold startled her, but she cast a warming charm over herself, not willing to go back inside quite yet.

Taking a deep breath, Marina leaned against the side of the castle and closed her eyes.

"Well, this is awkward," a voice said from the other side of the doorway.

Sirius stood with a cigarette between his lips and his outer dress robes slung over his shoulder. Marina wasn't sure how she could be both so lucky and unlucky to witness such an image.

"I thought I told you to stop smoking," was the only thing Marina thought to say.

"I thought you were avoiding me," he shot back.

Marina scoffed, but she knew he wasn't angry. Confused and hurt, maybe, but not angry.

"I needed some time, you know," Marina replied, not lying, not telling the whole truth. "After Benjy."

"Okay," he shrugged.

Marina kept quiet when he didn't push her. He probably knew she wasn't telling him everything, but she couldn't bring herself to tell him the truth. At least not yet.

"I only do it when I really, really need one," Sirius said.

"The cigarettes?"

He nodded.

Marina understood, "This reminding you of all those fun high-class, rich bitch pureblood gala parties?"

"No," Sirius chuckled, shaking his head. He thought for a moment, "Maybe a little. This is much more festive than those ever were."

"Not the one you took me to," Marina smiled fondly, leaning her back against the doorway. "In my defense, setting your mother's robes on fire was your idea."

Sirius barked out a laugh, and Marina couldn't hide hers anymore as she watched him. His smile, his laugh, his eyes squeezed shut, creating crinkles around their corners... it was hard not to join him. The boy ran a hand through his long hair, pushing it out of his face as he took a drag from the almost-finished cigarette.

"Wow," Marina murmured, her voice soft.

He didn't hear her.

Marina tore her eyes away, and the feeling was back. The feeling that she left the Great Hall to escape from.

"It's getting a bit cold out here," she said. "I think I'll go back inside now."

"Alright," Sirius tried not to look disappointed, and Marina tried to ignore his disappointment.

He took another drag from the cigarette, not watching her as she left. It was clear that she was still uncomfortable to be alone with him since everything happened. He just needed to give her more time, and then maybe they could get back to normal.

He smothered the little voice in his head that told him it was impossible.

Marina already entered the Great Hall before she realized she never asked what made him decide that he really, really needed a cigarette.

✱✱✱✱✱

"LILY!" James' voice sounded urgent.

Lily was yanked out of her conversation with Remus to reply, "What?"

"Please, dance with me?" he looked over his shoulder with a fearful expression on his face. "Please?"

"Oh, why—" but he'd already snatched her hand and pulled her onto the dance floor. Remus was stuck alone by the drink table, smiling and shaking his head at his friend's antics. "Potter! What on earth are you doing?"

"I need you," he pleaded. Lily's eyes widened, and he winced, "I mean, Emily's gone to the loo, and if I'm with you when she gets back, maybe she'll leave me alone. I need a break, I can't take it anymore, Evans, I can't—"

Lily covered her mouth with her hand, a laugh threatening to escape her lips, "Oh, fine. One dance won't hurt."

"Only one?" his hazel eyes resembled a puppy's as he looked at her.

"There could be more, if you're a better dancer than I imagine you to be," she relented, teasing him.

"Thank Merlin," James breathed a sigh of relief.

He took her hand and spun her in a circle before pulling her close to him. If he noticed the small gasp of surprise escape her lips, he didn't acknowledge it. James led her expertly around the dance floor, dancing swiftly around other couples moving less gracefully than he and Lily.

To say Lily was shocked was an understatement, but what was she expecting? James Potter to not be good at something? _Fat chance_ , she told herself.

"And how am I doing so far?" James asked, a satisfied smile on his face.

"Er, alright," she squeaked.

Lily mentally chided herself for her pink cheeks, but she allowed James to whisk her across the dance floor with ease. The two floated across the Great Hall, talking and laughing as though they were meant to dance with no one else.

✱✱✱✱✱

Marina was back at her table, people-watching and pretending not to notice when Sirius came back to the party and was instantly swarmed by both Priscilla Arlington and Mary Macdonald. Rolling her eyes, she sat back against her chair next to Peter.

"Y-You look really pretty, Marina," he stuttered out, smiling brightly at her.

"Thanks Pete," she sighed.

Her eyes found Sirius again, and this time, she focused on the girls around him. They giggled, tossed their hair, and fluttered their eyelashes, and still, Sirius didn't encourage them. He looked almost bored, quickly glancing from side-to-side before pouring the contents of a flask into his pumpkin juice and shushing the girls when they laughed a little too hard at his shenanigans.

Marina wondered for a moment what it'd be like to be them. She wondered what it'd be like to vie for just a moment of his time or to feel the odd sense of triumph knowing that he'd held a conversation with her for more than a minute. To wonder if he'd glance her way during class or send a wink across the crowded Common Room.

But, of course, she never had to do any of those things for his attention. He'd always been there for her.

_Sirius... he'd always been there..._

Suddenly, the walls she'd constructed to separate her emotions from her brain came crashing down, and when her heart and mind collided, Marina felt herself stop breathing.

_No, no, no, no, no..._

With a start, she stood from the table and hurried toward the exit. Thankfully, _he_ wouldn't be outside to surprise her, she could just escape, be by herself, and everything would be okay if she could just get away from that _ridiculous_ boy—

A hand on her arm stopped her in her tracks. The quick shot of fear that coursed through her vanished when she saw Remus looking at her with concern. Oddly, he seemed to understand, and immediately, he pulled her into the dance floor with a single step to his right.

"Rem, I—" she protested, but he shook his head.

"It's okay," he told her, his calm voice giving her some comfort. His brown eyes pleaded with her. "It's okay to feel like this."

Embarrassingly, her eyes filled with tears at his words, and she hid her face in his chest for a moment to compose herself. How Remus managed to sense her rising state of panic and know exactly what to say was beyond her. Marina managed a small shake of her head, not allowing the water to fall from her eyes. She was always too stubborn.

She stood up straight, but her lip trembled as she spoke, "He said—he told me to forget it," Marina choked out. "How could he just forget about... and now _I'm_ the one—"

The desperation for an answer was evident in her voice, but Remus had none to give.

So, he spun her around the dance floor, pointing out the ugliest dresses and the oddest couples he could find to distract the girl from her emotional conflict. Remus' words, carefully chosen to cheer her up, were all Marina allowed herself to focus on as song after song started and ended without them leaving the floor.

"And that might be the most shocking couple of the night," Remus noted, gesturing with a quick nod to the other side of the dance floor.

Marina followed his gaze to her brother and Lily laughing together as they danced.

"Hm," she mused. "I'm not sure about shocking."

"You're right. It almost seems as though it were inevitable," Remus smiled, "doesn't it?"

Marina's gaze had wandered again, and this time, Sirius was looking back at her.

"Yeah," she finally responded. "I guess it does."


	14. The Fox and the Hound

The next full moon came two days after the ball. The night before they were meant to go home for Christmas break.

Still, Marina hadn't transformed. Her frustration was at an all time high now that it was paired with her emotional realization about Sirius from the night of the ball. She'd finally felt a sense of relief that she was going home for holiday before she remembered that Sirius was coming with the Potters to spend Christmas with them now that he escaped his family.

It seemed that she wouldn't get the break she'd imagined, but a part of her was giddy at the thought of Sirius spending a whole two weeks at her home. Despite her nervousness, there was also anticipation and excitement that hadn't existed before.

The girl glanced out the window. It was almost dark now, and Remus was certainly already down in the Shrieking Shack.

Marina had just finished packing for the train at eleven the next day. Once she closed her trunk, she bid her roommates goodbye, saying she had plans with the boys. They knew asking wouldn't do them any good, so they didn't bother voicing their questions aloud.

When Marina entered the boys' room with a quiet knock, they looked up from their own packing. It seemed they'd also pushed it until the last minute, as expected. Sirius was locking his trunk on his bed; at least he was finished.

"Isn't it almost time to go down?" she asked.

The three boys exchanged a look, an uneasy one, Marina noticed. She frowned.

"We talked about it, and we think you shouldn't come yet," James finally said. "You haven't transformed, and it's too dangerous."

"What?" she exclaimed. Honestly, she wasn't sure why she was so surprised. "But you said I'd really have to want to turn, and nothing would make me want to do it more than helping you guys, especially Remus!"

"It's too dangerous right now," James shook his head.

"Yeah, we don't wanna risk it," even Peter looked certain.

Marina turned on the last boy, the one who'd been silent the entire time. Sirius felt her gaze on him, asking him to be on her side, and as much as it pained him to deny her what she wanted, he knew it was the right call.

"You can't get hurt," Sirius said simply. "Not again."

The girl gritted her teeth, "Fine."

With that, Marina left the room, but she wasn't far enough away to miss James saying, "Told you she'd take it well."

They should've known her better than that. If they did, they'd know that nothing could keep her from being there for them and Remus in the Shrieking Shack that night.

✱✱✱✱✱

Marina waited on the stairs leading up to the girls dormitories, just out of sight of the boys' stairs, until she heard three sets of footsteps heading toward the portrait hole. When she saw nothing, she figured they were underneath the Invisibility Cloak, and she frowned when she realized that they'd have the map with them. Still, knowing them, they wouldn't be looking at the dormitories for her, they'd just be looking for anyone along the way to the Shrieking Shack before putting it away. Marina figured she was safe for the time being.

She really hoped they wouldn't see her and send her back to the dorms. She didn't want to fight them any more on this, but she was just so tired of them dictating her life. Marina wanted to be an Animagus for one reason only: being there for her best friend during his worst time. She was sick of being the only one who couldn't do her part.

When Marina heard the portrait of the Fat Lady open, she moved lightly on the balls of her feet, following closely behind.

She caught the end of someone's whisper, "—all clear. _Mischief Managed_."

 _Thank Merlin_ , Marina said to herself. Now, she could follow them undetected. Their footsteps were quiet, so Marina stayed a good distance behind them to be unseen.

By the time they reached the Castle Grounds near the Whomping Willow, the three boys took the cloak off. Marina shivered in her sweater and jeans, wondering why she hadn't bothered with a heavier cloak—it was December after all.

Peter transformed into his Animgaus and scurried over to the knot on the tree that momentarily paralyzed the branches that usually tried to kill anyone who got within hitting distance of them, and the boys ducked into the small passageway underneath the tree.

When the boys disappeared, Marina broke out on a dead sprint toward the tree, hoping to make it to the passageway before the Whomping Willow resumed its whomping. Unfortunately for her, as she made it five feet from the entrance, one of the branches sprang to life. Thankfully it was one of the smaller ones, but the force of the branch whipping her across the face forced her to take cover, and she dove out of reach.

"Ugh," Marina reached up to her cheek and felt an inch-long cut on her cheekbone with a bruise forming under her skin. She glared, "Stupid tree."

The Whomping Willow did not reply.

Watching the tree's movements as it returned to its resting position, she searched her brain for the correct charm to use. Marina bit the inside of her cheek and held up her wand.

" _Immobulus!_ " she said.

The Whomping Willow's branches froze for the second time that evening. Marina didn't waste any time admiring her work as she ran for the passageway that would lead her to Remus and the rest of the boys.

The tunnel to the Shrieking Shack was darker than she'd expected. She'd cast a Lumos, and she held her wand in front of her as she walked quickly through the passageway, ducking every once in a while to avoid tree roots and stepping over rocks and the occasional hole in the ground. Still, Marina moved as fast as she could, wanting to make it to the Shack before Remus transformed. It had to be soon, maybe even in the next few minutes.

Thankfully, the walk wasn't long. She pulled herself through the trap door, wrinkling her nose at the peeling wooden floor around it. The Shrieking Shack was the same on the inside as she'd imagined it from the outside; ugly, worn down, and it definitely didn't look stable. She wiped her palms on her pants as she stood up, frowning at the trap door. It was the only way in or out of the Shack as there were no working windows or doors leading to the outside.

The floor creaked with her footsteps as she reached the stairs, and Marina winced.

"What was that?" she heard a voice ask. It was Remus, and there was no answer. Marina wondered if the other boys were already in their Animagus forms to wait for his transformation.

To answer her, a black dog suddenly appeared at the top of the stairs. If a dog's eyes could widen, she was sure that Padfoot's did. Knowing she was caught, Marina simply stared back.

" _Agh!_ "

Remus' shout of pain forced Marina back into action, and she took the stairs two at a time to reach her friend. The dog stepped in front of her, trying to nudge her back toward the trap door, but she kept moving. She was not ready for the image she laid her eyes upon.

Remus' body was curled into a tight ball on the floor, sweat running down his face as he groaned in pain and his limbs occasionally spasmed out of control. He was in pain, and he felt horrible, and Marina realized that she needed to turn... and quickly. With the sound of Remus' ragged breathing playing in her ear, she closed her eyes and focused on transforming.

Prongs, who'd immediately noticed his sister's appearance, lunged toward her and pushed her with his antlers toward the doorway. Marina's eyes opened, but she stepped back from her friend.

"Stop it!" she glared at him. "I just need to focus—"

He ignored her, pushing her again, and Padfoot latched onto her sweater with his teeth and yanked her toward the door. Remus' breathing seemed to take on a different pitch, but Marina didn't notice, she was too busy fighting to transform.

"I can do this!" Marina snapped. "Let me do this! You..."

Her voice caught in her throat. She'd looked away from her brother for one second and her eyes found the body of a werewolf on all four legs in the center of the room. Marina understood, looking at the snarling beast in front of her, why coming to the Shrieking Shack unprotected by her Animagus was a mistake. A foolish, stupid, immature, and thoughtless mistake. Because as she saw the werewolf for the first time, she realized that it was staring at only one thing: her.

And, she was frozen.

There was no possible way that this animal in front of her was the Remus Lupin she knew and loved. The growling paired with the gnashing teeth were what was real in that moment, but she couldn't bring herself to believe it.

Marina took a step backward, away from the scene in front of her, and she found herself unbalanced at the top of the stairs. Suddenly, just as she was about to fall, one hand held her up by her back and another grasped her hand in theirs.

Sirius' grey eyes were human again, and they were looking at her with such an intensity that Marina felt her body come to life again.

"Run!" he told her, and they did.

They rushed down the stairs with as much speed as they could muster, throwing open the trap door as the sound of a hungry werewolf tore after them. Sirius' wand lit the passageway as they sprinted through it; Marina's heart was hammering in her chest, and she had to force herself not to look behind her.

"This was a bad idea," Marina admitted.

Sirius did not respond.

Finally, they reached the end of the tunnel. Marina was out first, and she cast her Immobulus charm on the tree once more, almost as an afterthought. They were so fast getting away from the werewolf that Marina wondered if they needed the spell at all. The light from the full moon was bright enough with the snow to light the side of Sirius' face, and Marina realized she hadn't seen such determination since the attack on Hogsmeade.

"Marina, go!" Sirius had let go of her hand, but the absence of him next to her only made her look for him.

It was hard to run in the couple inches of snow on the ground, and it was starting to be an issue. The werewolf was gaining on the two of them, and seeing Sirius suddenly stop moving caused fear to course through her.

Sirius took one more look over his shoulder to make sure that Marina was far enough away, but when he saw that she'd stopped, too, he felt his fear level rise again. Why couldn't she just run for her life like a sane person? He wasn't quick enough turning back to the werewolf, and he had to leap backward to avoid its teeth around his neck.

Marina pulled out her wand; she was panicking now.

The werewolf lunged at Sirius again, but there was nothing for him to do except jump backward again. He couldn't transform into Padfoot with the werewolf so close. He was panicking now, too. Without a game plan, Marina watched in horror as the werewolf swiped its claws toward Sirius' chest, tearing his shirt and leaving scratch marks on his skin.

"No!" she yelled, but the werewolf wasn't paying attention to her now.

Sirius was on the ground, holding his arm out in front of his chest to block the wolf's next strike. Only one more, and he'd be done for.

"NO!" Marina screamed again, and this time, the werewolf's attention was drawn.

She couldn't have been any happier that a werewolf was turning his murderous gaze on her. Sirius scrambled backward, out of the wolf's reach, but his breathing was staggered as he bled into the light layer of snow beneath him. _Fuck, that hurts_ , he thought to himself. The cuts were deep, but not deep enough for Sirius to start worrying about his impending death. At least not yet.

The werewolf snarled at Marina, drool dripping from its canines as it glared at her. Its long snout was directed right at her, and Marina knew it was just waiting to rip into her and tear her apart. Then, her eyes drifted to Sirius, hurt and still watching her desperately from a distance.

A determination stronger than any fear swelled inside her at the sight of him. Knowing that she could save Sirius' life if she were successful, Marina closed her eyes and focused. The feeling of absolute certainty pushed her over the edge, and she transformed.

Marina jumped forward, and she landed on four legs. She wasn't sure what she was yet, but she was small and her fur was dark. Most importantly, she was fast.

With a few small leaps, she batted the werewolf's nose with her paws, leading him farther away from Sirius and toward the passageway. As she dodged swipes of claws, she realized that Prongs and Wormtail had exited the passage to help. They saw her fighting with the werewolf and joined her, encircling the werewolf until there was nowhere left for him to go.

Combating Marina's quick reflexes and Prongs' antlers and hooves became too much for the werewolf, and with a whine of retreat, it tripped over its feet and dove into the passageway, taking off toward the Shrieking Shack.

Not staying to watch, Marina took off as quick as her short legs would take her toward Sirius laying in the snow. Upon reaching him, she turned back into herself, addressing his injuries as tears already began welling in her eyes.

"I-I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry—" she cried.

"Marina," James interrupted her hysteria, a stern look on his face. "We have to get him to the Hospital Wing."

His urgency forced her to comply, and she cast a Levitation charm to float him comfortably to the castle as quickly as possible. Marina was beside his floating body, holding his hand as she guided him through the palace at a run.

At some point, Sirius passed out, and it only made them move faster. Marina didn't say anything, but it didn't matter. The other two boys did not speak to her.

When they reached the Hospital Wing, Madam Pomfrey, awakened by James and not bothering to ask questions, began to tend to Sirius' wounds. As she got to work, Marina slumped into a chair with her head in her hands.

_What had she done?_

✱✱✱✱✱

Sirius woke the next morning with a headache and a bandaged chest. The light coming through the windows combined with the white sheets of the Hospital Wing bed almost blinded him, and he had to blink several times before adjusting to his surroundings.

The first thing that caught his eye was a brown mess of hair resting around Marina's sleeping face. She'd seemed to have fallen asleep in the chair pulled up close to Sirius' bed, her arms crossed in front of her face to make the most comfortable pillow for herself as she hunched over the bed near Sirius' legs. Despite her sleepiness, it seemed as though she weren't resting peacefully. There was a cut on her cheekbone with a small purple bruise surrounding it, and her eyebrows were knitted together as though she were dreaming of something troublesome. Sirius stared at where her hand rested less than an inch away from his.

Sirius remained still, not keen on waking Marina up from her sleep. Instead, he looked around the room, seeing no one else besides whoever was behind the curtain to his left. It was drawn to ensure privacy, but Sirius figured that it was Remus, who after the chaotic events of the night before was probably brought up and treated early that morning. Hopefully, Remus was doing okay considering everything.

Frowning at the wounds on his chest, he wondered if the scratches the werewolf left on him were going to be there for the rest of his life. He wondered if they were any deeper if he would still be alive. He wondered what would've happened if Marina hadn't been able to distract the werewolf from him and struck him again.

Sirius returned his gaze to the sleeping girl, and he dismissed those "what if's" without a second thought. As long as she and the rest of the boys were okay, he didn't really care.

Besides, the scars would probably look pretty cool.

"Mr. Black!" Madam Pomfrey exclaimed, entering the room from her adjoining office. "You're finally awake."

The sudden noise woke Marina with a start, and Sirius almost couldn't help the glare at the healing witch. Madam Pomfrey ignored his look and moved to examine his wounds. Marina watched with wide eyes, biting her lip nervously.

"Ms. Potter, I told you to go back to your dormitory last night," Madam Pomfrey put her hands on her hips.

"Yeah," was Marina's only reply.

Madam Pomfrey was usually more strict, but the woman simply rolled her eyes and mumbled something under her breath as she disappeared behind the curtain separating the two occupied beds.

As soon as she was out of sight, Marina moved to sit on the little space left on his bed, watching him with nervousness written all over her face.

"Are you alright?" she winced, shaking her head. "I mean, of course you're not alright. I'm sorry, Sirius, I'm so, so sorry—"

Madam Pomfrey walked past the two of them again, but she just whistled to herself, not paying them any mind as she entered her office once more. Marina looked down at her hands resting in her lap.

"It's okay—" he tried, his voice a bit hoarse.

"No, it's not," Marina interrupted. He was shocked by the ferocity of her words. "It's not okay. I just wanted to help, I wanted to be there for Remus and you guys, but all I did was make things worse, especially for you... I don't even know if Remus will ever forgive me—"

"Still debating," a voice muttered from the other side of the curtain.

Marina's eyes widened as the curtain was pulled back, and Remus sat up in his bed with a stony look on his face. The other two winced seeing the dark bags under his eyes and the usual miserable expression he wore following the night of a full moon.

"I didn't know that it would be so... I didn't think—" Marina didn't know how to finish her sentence, but Remus had heard enough.

"No, you didn't think," he snapped. "And now, Sirius is hurt because _I_ _—_ " his voice broke.

Sirius watched in horror as tears started to fall from Marina's eyes, and if the puffiness surrounding them were any hint, it wasn't the first time. Acting on instinct, Sirius reached for her hand. It hurt a bit to lean forward, but he didn't let her know that. Marina squeezed it once, and his heart fluttered in his chest.

"I don't know what to say, Remus," Marina shook her head. "There's no excuse for it... I'm so sorry."

Remus watched her, his hurt and angry expression dwindling seeing her filled with regret. He glanced at Sirius, bandaged up, laying in the Hospital Wing, and holding her hand, and he knew that it was punishment enough for her.

With a tired sigh, he shrugged, "It was your first time. I know you won't make that mistake again."

Marina shook her head quickly from side to side, "No, I won't, I promise."

Remus nodded, and he felt a weight lift from his shoulders along with his anger.

"Good, that's over," Sirius sighed, already over the guilt-fest. "Now, how can we get some breakfast up in here?"

Marina turned back to him, her guilt intensifying, "Sirius..."

"Marina," he retorted in the same tone.

Sirius fixed a stern look on her, but she only matched his stubbornness, not looking away. It was clear that she felt the same that he did when he let her get hit with the Bludger during the Ravenclaw game. Sirius didn't want her to feel like he did, so he'd do his best to make sure her guilt disappeared.

Remus looked between the two of them, raising an eyebrow at the staring contest they seemed to be having. It was clear that they were both too stubborn to look away, each too desperate to be the martyr.

Before either one of them could speak, the Hospital Wing door flew open, revealing James, Peter, and a bag full of what everyone could only hope was food.

"Ah, great, you're both already awake!" he saw Sirius and Remus, but his eyebrows furrowed seeing Marina.

"Thank Merlin you're here," Remus smirked. "I was afraid with one more second of these two staring at each other that they'd jump each other's bones."

Sirius and Marina turned red immediately, and she tore her hand away from his, frowning at where the heat in her palm had vanished. Sirius tried to ignore the feeling of rejection coursing through him.

"Wait, have you been here all night?" James asked her. Peter was frowning behind him, eyes moving between Marina and Sirius in confusion.

The dark circles under her eyes betrayed her, but she still replied, "No..."

"Yes," Remus chirped, suddenly more cheerful as Peter sat on the side of his bed and passed him the bag. It was full of chocolate and pastries, Remus' usual werewolf hangover cure.

Marina moved from her seat on Sirius' bed to the chair beside it, unable to look anywhere except the chocolate croissant she took from the bag when it was her turn. She nibbled at it half-heartedly, unaware of Sirius' gaze on her.

James was also looking at her, considering the reasons why Marina would have stayed the night in the Hospital Wing. Watching Sirius watch her, James almost laughed out loud; he wasn't sure why it took him so long to realize that his sister reciprocated Sirius' feelings, but it was certainly undeniable now. He wondered if Sirius knew. James ran a hand through his hair, only thinking one thing: he had to talk to Lily about it.

"So good," Remus mumbled under his breath, taking another bite of chocolate. The boys laughed, and even Marina managed a smile seeing him look slightly better after the suffering he endured.

The group was silent for a few moments, basking in their delicious breakfast, before Peter, whilst chewing, interrupted the peaceful silence with his brash subject change.

"Marina!" Peter grabbed another pastry, gesturing with it towards her. "You transformed!"

Suddenly, the memory of Marina as an animal the night before came rushing back to the group.

"Shh!" Sirius scolded Peter, looking toward Pomfrey's office. He winced as he moved sharply, but he lowered his voice, continuing, "What did she turn into? I can't even remember..."

"You were some kind of dog, weren't you?" Peter asked her. "You almost looked like Sirius."

Sirius' eyes widened, the image of Marina turning into a black animal on four legs returning to his memory. Marina was already shaking her head, but the red blooming on her cheeks was confusing him. What was so embarrassing about looking like him?

"Maybe..." James answered, shrugging. "She looked smaller than Sirius though."

"No," Marina's cheeks burned, and she shook her head faster, "I'm a fox. Just... black."

"A black fox?" Remus asked, eyebrows furrowing. "Do those exist?"

"They must," Marina replied swiftly. "I checked in the bathroom mirror when I was washing up. There's some orange around my ears, paws, and on my tail. I look like the goth version of that _Fox and the Hound_ character."

James burst out laughing, nodding his head, "From the Disney movie!"

"Yeah," Marina tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, smiling again. "The girl one though, the one that Tod falls in love with."

"Vixey!" James remembered, laughing.

The others watched the twins with confusion until Peter finally spoke, "What are you two on about?"

Remus, the only half-blood, seemed to understand, "A Muggle movie, but how did you guys know about it?"

James' cheeks turned pink, but Marina simply laughed at him.

"It was Evans, wasn't it?" Sirius laughed, shaking his head.

"Lily was talking about the movie before it came out, and James said we just had to see it," she chuckled. "We saw it in a Muggle movie theater and everything. They're pretty cool, actually."

Madam Pomfrey exited her office to see the group of five laughing and eating their breakfast. Her hands returned to their usual place on her hips, but the Marauders and Marina didn't look the least bit threatened by her.

"I'm afraid you kids must leave now," she sighed. "I have to perform a few more spells if there is any hope of Mr. Black returning with you all on the train this morning."

Marina felt the guilt return, "Will you be able to heal him?"

Madam Pomfrey's eyes hardened, "Werewolf scratches cannot be healed magically, but I can still perform some pain-relieving spells along with charms to prevent infection while it heals the Muggle way."

The group turned somber, frowning at the bandages on Sirius' chest.

"I'm still not sure why you all were out during the full moon," the group winced at Madam Pomfrey's words, "but if this behavior continues, these scratches will be the best case scenario."

"Oh no," Sirius' eyes widened. "They're going to scar, right?"

Madam Pomfrey nodded apologetically.

"Yes!" he exclaimed, pumping his fist. "I'm going to look so _cool_ _—_ "

"Sirius!" Marina stared at him, mouth open in shock.

"Please, Mar," he scoffed, "you can't tell me that a couple scars aren't hot in, like, a dangerous way."

The other boys burst out laughing at the incredulous look on Marina's face, and even Madam Pomfrey's lips quirked up into an amused smile.

"Mr. Pettigrew, Mr. Potter, Ms. Potter, I meant what I said," Madam Pomfrey gestured toward the door. She turned to Remus, "Mr. Lupin, if you're feeling well enough to go with your friends, otherwise, you can rest here for now."

Remus took a look at Sirius' pleading face, obviously not wanting to be alone in fear of boredom, and he rolled his eyes. It was only a few hours until they'd have to leave for the train anyway.

"Actually, a little rest would be great," he leaned back against the bed and took a pastry from the bag.

"Very well," Madam Pomfrey nodded. "Out, the rest of you!"

James and Peter stood up, heading for the door, and Marina slowly got to her feet to follow.

Looking over at Sirius one last time, she opened her mouth as if to say something, but thought better of it. Marina left the boy staring after her as she and the other two boys finally left the room.

James turned to his sister with a smirk, "You know, Vixey's kinda got a ring to it."


	15. Letters to Lily

Marina boarded the train with Lily and Marlene, though the latter girl was more preoccupied with Dorcas as they laughed their way toward an empty compartment. Mary walked with Lily and Marina, not wanting to third-wheel any more than they did.

As they let themselves into a compartment, Mary raised an eyebrow at Marina, "You're sitting with us?"

"Uh," Marina peeked her head out of the door to look both ways down the narrow hallway. She turned back to the girls and pulled the compartment door shut behind her with a resounding slam, "Yes."

Lily rolled her eyes at Marina, and the other girl pretended not to notice.

"Why?" Mary tried not to sound eager. "Did you do something? Is Sirius mad at you?"

"Mary, you're not subtle," Lily shot back, and even Marina managed a smirk at her words. "Nothing happened, she just wants to hang out with us today, right?"

"If you say so," Mary sighed, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "Good thing we actually like you now."

Marina burst out laughing, replying with a shrug, "Yeah, good thing."

Lily smiled and shook her head in quiet amusement. A lot had changed since the beginning of the year, and most of it was due to Marina. Well, Lily disregarding her prejudice on Potters, really. It was about time, anyway.

Lily had always been an observant person; she managed to notice things that most might skip over. It's what clued her into Remus' secret, along with many others, including Sirius' feelings for Marina. As Marina and Lily's friendship grew, Lily found it was even easier to read her. And now, watching the girl's eyes flick to the compartment door ever once in a while, Lily knew that the reason she joined them on the train ride wasn't solely because she wanted to hang out with them for a bit longer before returning home.

Marlene and Dorcas returned a bit later, cheeks flushed and hair a bit messier than when they had disappeared earlier.

Thankful for the distraction, Lily latched onto Marina's hand and pulled her out of the compartment with haste. The Potter girl was surprised, and didn't try hard enough to fight back against Lily, who had a surprising amount of strength in her small body.

"Fourth compartment down is open if you want to use it, ladies!" Marlene quipped on their way out, sending the other girls into laughter.

"Thanks!" Lily called back, and dragged Marina in that direction.

"Lily, what are you doing—" Marina asked.

In that moment, she made eye contact with Sirius as he left their usual compartment farther down the train. He furrowed his eyebrows at her, asking a silent question. Without giving him an answer, Marina stopped resisting Lily and pushed her into the other empty compartment only a few feet away.

Sirius stood for a moment, watching the compartment door close behind the two girls. _Was that panic on her face?_ he asked himself.

"Ouch, Marina, that's my foot!" Lily grumbled, reaching down to rub her heel. "I just wanted to know what your problem was. You're being weird."

Marina glanced back toward the door, wringing her hands together.

" _Marina_ ," Lily pushed.

"IthinkI'minlovewithSirius," she rushed out, wincing as she said it.

Lily stared at her for a moment, "What?"

"I said, 'I think I'm in—'" Marina felt the words stop in her throat, and she put her face in her hands. "Don't make me say it again, I don't know, Lily, I don't know what to do!"

Suddenly, Lily reached forward and smacked her on the arm, "I thought it was something bad! Merlin, Marina, I thought someone was hurt or someone was mad at you—"

"They should be," Marina muttered under her breath, but she frowned at Lily. "That's it? You're not surprised or anything?"

"Of course I'm not surprised!" Lily exclaimed. "It's about time you figured it out, I've been sick of keeping it from you."

Marina's jaw dropped, "You stuck-up, know-it-all _prig_ —"

"Oh, calm down," Lily rolled her eyes. "I've been waiting for the perfect time to say 'I told you so!' You must've known that."

Marina bit her tongue, because of course, she did know.

"So, what's the problem?" Lily asked, frowning. "Tell him!"

Marina made a choking noise, incredulous, "Absolutely not!"

"Why not?"

"Because!"

"Because _why_?"

"Because he doesn't want me!" Marina snapped. She turned to face away from the redhead. Lily opened her mouth to argue, but Marina continued. "He told me to forget it, he said it was a mistake—Lily, he _apologized_ for kissing me. I'm not going to fuck that up, not again. We've gotten mostly back to normal now—"

"Is that why you're hiding in a train compartment from him?" Lily interrupted, her snark getting the best of her.

"This is why I didn't want to say anything," Marina grumbled. "If I take a little space, I'll be able to get over it. I can deal with this, I know I can."

Lily let out a snort, and Marina turned on her.

"Screw you, Lily," Marina spat. "I knew all I'd do is get judged, that's what you were always best at."

Lily frowned, narrowing her eyes, "I'm not judging you—"

"Yes, you are!" Marina scoffed. "If whatever I do doesn't go with what perfect Lily Evans thinks should happen, it must be wrong. Just let me live my life, for Merlin's sake."

"Fine," Lily snapped. "Go ahead. Just know I was trying to help."

"Thanks," Marina retorted, sarcasm dripping from her voice.

Lily pushed past her to the compartment door, sliding it open. She turned to look at her friend, frowning, "Are you coming?"

Marina paused, wincing as she whispered, "Is the hallway clear?"

"Jesus Christ," Lily rolled her eyes, leaving her there.

" _Bitch_ ," Marina whisper-yelled after her.

The coast was clear.

✱✱✱✱✱

The train came to a stop at King's Cross several hours later, and Marina bid her roommates goodbye before she went searching for her trunk. Lily gave her a quick wave, but nothing more than that.

Marina made her way to the compartment where she left her trunk, trying to recall which train cart it was exactly. Finally, she spotted her trunk on the third compartment down, and she weaved her way through the crowd to grab it.

As she reached up on her tiptoes to lug it forward, she wondered why she thought she needed to bring so much home for a simple two week stay. On her second pull backward, she felt herself teeter back a bit too far on her heels, not losing her balance entirely, but enough to make her stumble.

Before she could curse under her breath for being so short, a hand reached past her and pulled the trunk forward and even managed to lift it out of the compartment and place it beside her.

"Sirius!" Marina chastised. "You're still injured—"

His wince of pain did not go unnoticed by her, "And you needed help."

Marina bit her lip, looking away from him.

"Besides," he joked, "one more second of that and you'd end up worse off than I am. Who knows how much stuff you brought home? You could've been crushed to death."

Marina couldn't help but smile, "Good point."

Seeing her smile, his own crooked smirk turned into a dazzling grin that made Marina's heart skip a beat. The dimple on the left side of his face was mocking her, and she bit down hard on the inside of her cheek.

"Well, come on," he gestured toward where James was waiting with his trunk. "Gotta get home as soon as possible, I'm starving."

"Me too," Marina agreed as she followed him, carrying her trunk the few feet to her family.

Sirius walked in front of her with his own luggage, and with her gaze trained on his back, Marina wondered how she was going to get through the break in one piece.

✱✱✱✱✱

Falling asleep that night after dinner was more difficult than Marina cared to admit. She'd had fun catching up with her parents, and for the first time in a while she remembered how old they were really getting. With the war raging on and her parents growing even older, Marina wanted to cherish the time she had with them.

Despite the good food and cheerful table talk, Marina found herself more withdrawn than usual, especially whenever Sirius spoke. She practically ignored him then, and on the train, and if she kept this up, he was bound to know something was up with her.

Marina turned over to face away from her bedroom door, staring at the spot on the bed that Sirius had occupied four months previously.

Maybe distancing herself wasn't the right idea. Maybe Lily was right. If she wanted things to be normal, she couldn't very well be hiding in train compartments from him. She had to pretend as if everything were the same.

Besides, staying away from him was proving to be almost as difficult as transforming into her Animagus.

Marina closed her eyes, remembering the events of the night before. She couldn't believe she had been so stupid, so overcome with wanting to help and feeling left out that she put herself in that position. Thank Merlin that Remus forgave her, but she was having difficulty forgiving herself.

The chronic guilt she felt in the pit of her stomach reared its head as she remembered Sirius bandaged up in the Hospital Wing because of her. That only added support to her decision; Sirius had risked his life for her, and she couldn't very well ignore him for it. He was her hero that night.

Marina groaned and threw her blankets off of her, feeling a rush of heat surge through her at the thought. Of course, he was her bloody _hero_. Like that was going to make being his friend any easier.

Staring blankly at the ceiling, Marina made a pact with herself. No matter what happened, everything between her and Sirius was going to go back to normal. Whatever it took.

Marina frowned at the clock on her nightstand reading half past three o'clock in the morning. She wondered when she had become so pathetic.

✱✱✱✱✱

The next morning, James got to work on a letter to Lily Evans.

He'd sent her many letters over the years, most went ignored and others were returned with a smattering of curse words and threats of hexing him if he sent her any more. He just hoped they were past that point in their friendship, and he figured it wouldn't hurt to try sending her just one during their break for holiday.

Watching Marina and Sirius at dinner was entertaining enough, but he knew it was going to get to be unbearable between the two of them.

_Dear Evans,_

_I'm writing to you now as a plea for help. Save me._

_'Rina and Sirius are going to kill me with their unresolved tension, and I think I'm going to have to escape this house if I have any hope of returning to school next term. If Sirius continues to pretend that they're best friends and nothing ever happened, and Marina keeps acting like she's not in love with him (yeah, I kinda inferred that for myself, proud?) I'm gonna have to lock them in a room together until they figure their shit out._

_Can you tell I'm sick of it?_

_Wish you were here to talk to, you'd know what to say to them (and me) to make them pull their heads out of their arses and actually speak to one another about their feelings._

_Anyway, how's home for you? Your sister still the worst? Hopefully your parents are happy to see you. If you get bored or sick of your sister, you're always free to visit._

_Miss you already,_

_Your friend, James_

James stared at the short letter, wondering if this was worthy of sending to Lily. Surely this wouldn't be tossed in the garbage or lit on fire—this was a real letter asking about her life and telling her about the friends that they both shared. He shook his head, ridding himself of the negative thoughts. This was not like the annoying spam of letters he used to send her full of pranks and tacky love jokes. They were friends now.

He tied the letter to his owl, Guinevere, and sent her on her way.

As soon as the pretty snowy owl was out of sight, James heard Marina's door open and close down the hall paired with the sound of footsteps padding down the stairs leading to the kitchen. He sighed, taking one more look out the window before moving to leave his own room and join his sister in pursuit of breakfast.

The kitchen was empty, save for Marina reaching for a box of cereal and a bowl from the cupboard. Marina frowned at the lack of fresh breakfast options, but she could only sigh. It wasn't like they had breakfast buffets like at Hogwarts, and she certainly wasn't going to cook for herself this early in the morning; she was much too lazy for that.

"Where's Sirius?" James asked.

"'Morning to you too," Marina mumbled, shaking the cereal out of the box and into her bowl. She shrugged, "Must be sleeping in."

"Since when does he—" James was interrupted by the boy himself.

"Since never," Sirius waltzed into the kitchen from the other direction, apparently from the front door. "Just went for a run."

Sirius wasn't wearing a shirt. It was slung over his shoulder, probably after he used it to wipe off some of the sweat from his face. His hair was pulled back out of his face into a bun, something he didn't do very often. Marina suddenly wished he would.

"It's winter, mate," James scoffed.

"There's no snow," Sirius shrugged. "It's not too bad out there."

The boy squeezed past Marina on the way to the icebox for some water, and James snorted at the look on her face. She'd been holding the milk, pouring it into her cereal, but Sirius' post-exercise interruption caused her to freeze in place long enough for the milk to overflow over the sides of the bowl.

"Shit," the girl swore, turning toward the sink for a towel.

As she turned, she stepped right into Sirius' bare chest. Marina was eye level with the three long scratches from the full moon, and she was surprised to see they looked much better than she imagined wounds from a werewolf to look within three days. Not only that, but he actually managed to look even better with them decorating his sculpted body. The years of Quidditch certainly helped in maintaining his shape, and the sight of it on complete display—glistening with sweat and shining in all its glory—it almost made her forget her own name.

When Marina realized she'd been staring, she glanced up to see Sirius looking down at her, his teasing smirk already on his lips.

"Need something?" he asked.

"Er, towel," her voice came out as more of a squeak.

James rolled his eyes at them, and he reached forward to take Marina's cereal for himself. It was shit like this that talked him into sending letters to Lily.

Sirius obliged, reaching over to hand her the towel, "Here."

"Thanks," she turned back to the mess she made.

After cleaning up the spilled milk, Marina turned to the cupboard for another bowl for cereal. Sirius took a drink of his water, trying not to watch as the small pajama shorts she wore were pulled higher up her legs as she stood on her tiptoes.

James chewed his cereal in annoyance, crunching loudly with each bite.

"So," he finally said, swallowing his last bite, "am I the only one upset that they postponed the Hufflepuff game until after holiday?"

Sirius snorted, "Yeah, I think so."

Marina managed a small smile at that, "With the Unity Ball and the attack on Hogsmeade, I'm just glad they didn't cancel it altogether."

"Still," James threw up his hands, his spoon still clutched in his hand, "it's Quidditch!"

Marina felt herself gain a bit more confidence, throwing a smirk at Sirius, "Well, after the last game, I wasn't keen on returning to the pitch so soon."

Sirius' jaw dropped, "Low blow."

She giggled at the look of mock-betrayal on his face, raising her arms in defense, "It hurt!"

"Not sure you wanna go there, _Vixey_ ," Sirius shot back, triumph on his face as he puffed out his chest, showing off his new scars.

The smile fell from Marina's face, frowning at the scars. James sighed, shaking his head and standing from his seat to bring his bowl to the sink to be washed. Sirius seemed to have realized it was a bit too soon for jokes about the full moon, and he wished he hadn't said anything.

"Yeah," Marina's voice wavered. "You win, that is definitely a lot worse. I'm sorry."

"Mar—" Sirius frowned, but Marina had already stood up, turning to the stairs to escape to her room.

James leaned back against the sink, arms crossed over his chest. When Sirius turned to look at him, James shot him an incredulous look gesturing obviously for him to follow her.

When Sirius disappeared up the stairs after Marina, James frowned at his empty kitchen.

"What was that, like five minutes?" he muttered.

✱✱✱✱✱

Marina could hear his footsteps all the way up the stairs, and she crossed her arms, not wanting to make this the big deal it was becoming.

"Marina," Sirius didn't bother knocking. "You know I was joking, don't be mad—"

"I'm not mad!" she defended herself. She frowned at him, "For Merlin's sake, Sirius, _put on_ _a_ _shirt_!"

He looked startled, but he obeyed, "But why—"

"Because I can't look at you when you're—"

"I meant," Sirius shot her a look, "why are you upset?"

Marina frowned and looked away, "We didn't even talk about what happened."

"You didn't really give me a chance," the boy retorted, crossing his arms over his chest as he took a step forward. "You practically hid from me on the train."

"You're right," she sighed. "Sorry about that."

"Why did you?" Sirius took another step toward her, searching her expressions for some kind of answer. Marina almost stepped backward, but thought better of it.

"I was scared," she finally said. Not a lie.

Sirius was really confused now, "Scared of what?"

Marina lifted her head to meet his eyes, biting her lip ever so slightly. Sirius froze, watching her.

"I—" she tore her gaze away. "I was afraid you'd be mad at me."

Not the entire truth.

Sirius furrowed his eyebrows in thought, repeating, "You were afraid to talk to me because you thought I'd be mad at you. That's ridiculous."

"Just like how you didn't come visit me after the Bludger," Marina shot back. "Yeah, I guess it is ridiculous."

Sirius shook his head, "No, that's not it."

"W-What?" Marina stuttered, eyes widening. "Yes, it is."

"That's not you," Sirius objected. "If you thought you were the reason why someone is hurting, you'd almost smother them to death with love and support. You wouldn't run away."

"Thanks," Marina scoffed, stepping away from him.

"What? Am I suddenly not worth all that?" Sirius wasn't sure why he was getting so upset. Maybe it was the way she'd been avoiding him for weeks and this was just the last straw. He was just frustrated that she wasn't being honest with him anymore, "I take on a bloody werewolf for you, and I don't even get a thank you—"

"Oh, fuck off, Sirius," Marina argued, pointing a finger in his face. "I apologized so many times, I stayed by your bed all night to make sure you were alright, and the guilt is practically drowning me. Excuse me, if I didn't think to thank you for your stupid act of heroism."

"Stupid?" he scoffed.

"Yes, stupid," Marina shot back. "You ended up with scars that will be there for the rest of your life. You were _hurt_!"

"And you aren't dead! I call that a success!"

"Merlin's beard—"

"And worthy of a 'thank you'!"

"Fine, _thank you_!"

"What's your bloody problem?" he practically exploded. "Why are you being like this?"

Marina's face was turning red, though from frustration or embarrassment, she wasn't sure.

"I can't talk to you about this," she shook her head.

"Why not?" he argued.

Marina massaged her forehead with her fingers; she was starting to get a headache.

"I just can't, okay?" she said after a moment, letting out a deep sigh.

Sirius clenched his jaw, watching her, "Could you talk to Remus about it?"

Her head snapped up, eyes narrowing, "What?"

"Is that what's happening, then?" Sirius kept his voice level and calm. "I saw you guys at the ball and at Hogsmeade. Is that why you came out to the Shrieking Shack, too? Are you two together or something?"

Marina watched him in honest disbelief, "No, we're not— _what?_ "

"It's alright, it's fine, I'm happy for you," Sirius backtracked toward the door, shrugging. His air of nonchalance wasn't fooling her, "You don't need to keep it a secret if you're afraid of the rest of us knowing—"

"Holy shit," Marina's jaw dropped, and she covered her mouth with her hand. "You're jealous."

Sirius' eyes widened, "No, I'm not."

But Marina's eyes were shining, "You are!"

"No," but it didn't matter what he said, because they both knew it was true. "I'm not jealous of you and Moony, that's ridiculous."

"Yes, it is," Marina smirked, crossing her arms. For the first time that day, she felt triumphant.

"Whatever," Sirius tried to play it off, opening her bedroom door. He had to get out of there, "I need to shower—"

"Try a cold one," Marina quipped, following him to the door with a skip in her step.

"Nice," he muttered under his breath.

He disappeared across the hall before she could say anything else, but the damage was done. A spark had been lit inside Marina's heart; Sirius was jealous. Irrationally so, but jealous nonetheless.

Marina suddenly realized that her sudden close proximity to him within the four walls of her home wasn't an obstacle for just her, and maybe... maybe she could use it to her advantage.

✱✱✱✱✱

It was nearly black outside when Guinevere pecked at James' bedroom window. The boy scrambled toward it to let her in, nearly tripping over his desk chair in the process. His heart was in his throat as he tore into the envelope attached to his owl's leg.

_Dear James,_

_I suppose I am proud to say that you've managed to determine your sister's feelings for Sirius all by yourself. She'd only just told me herself on the train home from Hogwarts, but I fear that I may have upset her with how she reacted to my basically saying "I told you so!" But, honestly, can you blame me? They'll figure it out, and I'd be willing to bet five Galleons that they don't make it through holiday without finally confessing their feelings._

_My sister is still a twit, thanks for asking. When I got home, I found that she'd gotten rid of all of my old stuffed animals under the ruse of feeling charitable. I might've believed her if I_ _didn't know_ _that there wasn't a charitable bone in her body. I suspect Miss Honey (my old teddy bear) and the rest of my collection of Muggle toys are at the bottom of a_ _dumpster_ _somewhere. Just another way for Petunia to punish me for being magical._

_I might just take you up on escaping from my house. Let me know if you don't feel like third-wheeling anymore._

_Thanks for the letter,_

_Your friend, Lily_

James scowled at the part in the letter about Petunia, wishing Lily's home life were better. Hopefully, her parents were able to make her feel at home, but there was something truly awful about her sister.

Feeding Guinevere her well-earned treat, he went to bed happy. Lily had replied to his letter pretty fast, and she didn't even mention burning it after reading it. Not only that, there were no threats from her whatsoever.

It felt like a dream.

He was definitely going to take her up on the bet of five Galleons, but he figured he should give his owl a rest until morning. That, and he didn't want to come off as eager as he felt to send Lily another letter.

Still, James almost couldn't sleep that night, and his smile didn't fade until he was fast asleep.


	16. The World Stops

Christmas came out of nowhere.

Marina had spent so much time overthinking everything and stressing out about Sirius (not to mention the issue with the Slytherins _and_ transforming into an Animagus for the first time) that she'd almost forgotten to get her friends and family presents. Usually, she started picking them early so she had a lot of time to think. Luckily, she'd been working on a few for a while, but she realized that she had to get some for her roommates this year, too. She'd been known as a nervous gift giver since she was old enough to pick out presents for her friends all by herself. Despite her usual anxiousness, for James and Sirius this year, however, she thought she nailed it.

She was currently sprawled across her bed, making a list of the people she was planning on sending Christmas letters to and those she'd send the presents she'd already purchased.

This year, she'd been determined to select great presents, especially now that she cared about getting something good for her roommates. The easy choice of an assortment of candy, jewelry, or books was calling her name.

"'Rina!" James didn't knock, throwing open her bedroom door. "Did you get dad's present yet?"

Her eyes widened in panic, "I thought you were getting dad's? I got mum's!"

James smirked, "I know, I was just testing you."

"Don't scare me like that," she frowned, looking down at her list. She wondered when she managed to make this many friends. "You know what getting gifts does to me."

"Yeah, you've always been neurotic about this shite," he agreed.

"Thanks," Marina scoffed. "I just don't like disappointing people, I guess."

"Well, in that case," James crossed his arms, "what did you get for Sirius?"

Marina's neck practically snapped as she turned to look at him, but James just raised an eyebrow in question. Marina thought to herself, _If James means what I think he means..._

"I got him a present," she replied, avoiding his eyes. "Just like I did for everyone else, just like I do every year."

"Hm," James nodded, strolling around her room. Marina put her list down, watching him with a calculating look in her eye. "Nothing special for him then?"

Marina frowned as James stopped in front of her collage of photos. He seemed to be looking specifically at a few of her and Sirius together.

"What are you talking about? Why would I get him something special?" Marina almost wished James would make her tell him.

James smiled at a photograph of the three of them together. They were in the Common Room, and Sirius' feet were in Marina's lap as she read a book over the top of them. James was on the ground in front of the sofa they were sitting on, and they were just talking and laughing together. He wasn't even sure they knew the photo was being taken until after the flash went off. Peter loved taking candids like that, and he gave it to Marina afterward with a blush on his face. It must've been fourth year or something, but they looked so young.

"Dunno, 'Rina," he shook his head with a shrug. "Just thought I'd ask."

Marina was silent for a moment, "Okay."

She reluctantly returned to her list, and James was still looking at the photo collage on his sister's wall, searching for a red-haired someone that he guessed wouldn't be up there, at least not yet. Remembering the letter from the day before, he almost mentioned it before remembering that Marina was slightly upset with Lily at the moment. He decided on a less touchy subject.

"Are we going to Diggory's party this year for New Year's, do you think?" James asked.

Marina looked up, "I almost forgot about that."

"I think the girls were planning on going, and this year the full moon is already over with so I know Moony'll want to go too," James mentioned. "Peter will come if we do, and honestly, after the Unity Ball, we are in need of a good party."

Marina smirked, "Yeah, there wasn't enough alcohol in the world to make that less boring."

"It had its moments," James recalled, eyes twinkling.

"I'll owl the girls today and let 'em know we're going," Marina agreed, adding that to the top of her list.

"You want to tell Sirius or should I?" another hint, maybe?

"I can do it," she replied simply.

"Hm," James mused, "alright. Well, I'll leave you to your list, then."

He turned to leave the room, and Marina felt herself wishing he would stay. Despite all of her ridiculous and confusing feelings about Sirius (and the fact that he was James' best friend), he had been by her side the longest. He'd understand, and even if he didn't, he was still her number one supporter. She was about to burst, and she knew she could trust James with anything.

"Wait!" Marina cursed her voice for sounding so vulnerable. "Can... can I tell you something?"

James had already closed the door before she finished her sentence, and she watched as he cast a Silencing charm on the door.

"Of course," he sat in her desk chair, pulling it closer to where she sat on her bed like how they would do when they were children.

If the Silencing charm was any hint, it seemed that he already knew exactly what she was going to say. Marina frowned.

"Did Lily already tell you then?" she gave him a look.

James' eyes softened at Lily's name, but he was proud when he shook his head, "She didn't have to."

She nodded.

"You know, I'm fine with it, if that's even on the list of your concerns," James spoke when she didn't. "He's just about the best I can hope for my sister, even though he is a cocky git sometimes."

Marina chuckled softly, and James frowned when he saw a tear leak from the corner of her eye.

"It's not about that," Marina shook her head. "I wasn't worried about you, I'm worried about him."

James' eyebrows furrowed, "What do you mean?"

"I don't want to be the stupid sister with a crush on her brother's best friend," she laughed humorlessly. "He kissed me one time and practically begged me to forget it ever happened—"

"No, wait a second," James' voice was stern, and the sudden change shocked Marina into silence. "He said that because that's what he thought you wanted. He didn't want to ruin your friendship. I had to talk him off the edge because he almost Avada'd himself for thinking he lost you."

Marina's eyes widened, "What the hell are you talking about?"

"I told him it was fucking stupid, but he was sure that he'd just made it weird—"

"Well, he did, but he didn't even ask me what I thought!" Marina sprang up from the bed.

"Don't you two ever have a conversation about anything?" James exclaimed.

Marina opened and closed her mouth, "Not since before Halloween."

"Holy shit, Lily was right," James stared at her in awe. "You two are a mess."

Marina was still too surprised to really care about his insult. "What did he say? Why didn't he talk to me first? Why didn't he—"

"Marina," James cut her off, "if you don't know by now, I'm not sure anyone can help you."

Her world stopped, right there in her bedroom.

Marina recalled every single one of their interactions for the entire year: how he would make comments about Benjy Fenwick, how he slept with Mary Macdonald after seeing her with Benjy at the party, how he kissed her on his birthday as if he couldn't help it, how he was jealous of her and Remus... the list just went on.

Then, with a start, she remembered everything she did. Pulling a deep dive during the Ravenclaw Quidditch match because of Priscilla Arlington, how she yelled at Sirius the morning after Halloween when she smelled his cologne on the shirt Mary stole from him, how she couldn't stop thinking about Sirius on the date she had with Benjy, and how at the attack on Hogsmeade and on the night of the full moon, the only thing she could think about was if Sirius was okay.

What the hell was she thinking? This wasn't some new feeling that had come as a result of an accidental kiss in front of the Black Lake. This was a revelation, years in the making—this was her finally coming to terms with what she'd been feeling since she met him.

"He..." Marina choked on her words. She was usually quite articulate with her words, but she found herself unable to string together any of her thoughts. "I..."

She had been scared, and she was still scared. But, all the years of fear clouding her true feelings made her even more sure that she'd always known it was Sirius. It would always be her and Sirius.

"Finally getting there, are we?" James' smirk held no real judgement. His eyes were shining with amusement.

"It explains a lot," Marina's voice was almost a whisper.

"It explains everything, really," James agreed.

The two were silent for a bit longer, and Marina wondered what Sirius could possibly think of explaining how she'd been acting without coming to this conclusion.

She'd been irrational for weeks, avoiding him or acting as though nothing was wrong. Did he blame himself for that? Did he think she was crazy? Marina certainly thought he was crazy with the way he was acting during the beginning of the year... How had she not seen it?

"Oh," she looked over at her brother, "I didn't want to see it."

"Huh?" he asked.

"I didn't want anything to change, I was too scared, so I didn't see him," Marina realized.

Then, to her brother's confusion, she started to laugh.

"Merlin, what house am I in again?" she only laughed harder. "I was scared! Of—of—"

"Of love," James said.

Marina only looked at him.

"You were scared of love," he continued. "And I'm willing to bet that you weren't the only one."

Marina sat back down on her bed, acceptance flowing through her. She glanced at her collage of photos, seeing mostly Sirius.

"I think I still am," she frowned.

James just smiled, "Everyone is, really."

She nodded, but her mind was elsewhere.

"The thing is," he continued, and Marina looked at him, "what are you gonna do about it?"

✱✱✱✱✱

Sirius had no idea what he was going to do.

Marina had somehow nailed it on the head when she said he was jealous—of course, he was jealous. He'd always be jealous of Marina spending time with someone who wasn't him. That was practically a given at this point.

With Christmas Eve that night, he knew he'd have a difficult time avoiding whatever quips she'd inevitably make as he wouldn't be able to hide in his room away from the Potter family. Besides, no matter how she put him on edge, he was too excited for the present he got for her. He'd gone so far as to shop in Muggle London the day they got back from school to search for the right thing.

He'd just finished getting dressed up for their Christmas dinner that night; Mrs. Potter always insisted they dress nicely, and despite Sirius' usual distaste for formal wear, he'd do anything to please the family who took him in.

"Kids!" Mrs. Potter called from downstairs. "Come down, dinner's about to start!"

He tucked the wrapped present under his arm along with James' and the rest, praying to whatever god that Marina liked her present. The candy and Muggle jumper he got for James in his favorite color wasn't his best effort, but he knew he would appreciate it all the same. Same with the standard presents for Mrs. and Mr. Potter, consisting of a scarf and more Muggle clothes, it wasn't those that he was concerned with.

Sirius met the Potters at the dining table after placing his gifts underneath the massive tree in the sitting room. The family had surprised him by putting up a stocking for him above the fireplace, and he smiled to himself as he passed it.

Mr. and Mrs. Potter were sitting at opposite ends of the table, and they smiled brightly when they saw him. James gave him a nod from his seat, but he was more focused on loading his plate full of turkey. As he moved toward an open seat, Marina finally made her appearance, entering at the same time from the opposite direction.

Marina was wearing a red dress, festive considering the date, and she stopped in the doorway, allowing a smile to grace her features as she looked Sirius over.

"Well, don't just stand there, you two," Mr. Potter joked, gesturing at the two empty seats side by side opposite James.

They obeyed, and dinner began. The food looked worthy of being served at Hogwarts, and Sirius scowled inwardly at the thought of what his family would be eating that night. Certainly not anything for Christmas; the Blacks wouldn't celebrate a holiday that was for Muggles.

James passed Marina the turkey across the table, and she thanked him. Mr. Potter had already begun telling a joke that was almost too crude for the dinner table, and Mrs. Potter was trying to hush him as the rest of them laughed at her futile attempts at maintaining polite table talk.

"I didn't come up with it!" Mr. Potter defended himself, holding his hands up in front of him. "It was all Dearborn!"

James laughed, shaking his head, "That's Caradoc's dad, right?"

"Yes, the same," Mr. Potter agreed. "You know, we were in the same year at Hogwarts."

"And you caused just as much trouble then as you are now," Mrs. Potter chuckled to herself.

As they bickered between them a bit more, Sirius reached forward for the roasted carrots. At the same time, however, Marina had made a grab for the same serving spoon. Their hands brushed, and immediately, Marina pulled away. Sirius' hand froze there, hovering over the vegetables for a moment before taking the spoon and serving some onto his plate. When he was done, instead of handing her the spoon, he served a spoonful of carrots onto Marina's plate.

"Thanks," she acknowledged. Her father was still chattering loudly, resembling James as he gesticulated wildly through his retelling of adventures from his youth. With a smirk, she bit her lip and leaned over to whisper to Sirius, "By the way, the New Year's party at Diggory's is still on this year."

She had to pull away quickly, the close proximity of her lips to his ear already making it hard to remain focused on the family dinner they were currently having.

Sirius' eyes widened. It seemed that he'd forgotten about the party, too.

"Who's all going?" he asked, his voice no louder than her previous whisper.

"The girls, Peter," she smirked at him, a teasing glint in her eye. "And Remus, of course."

Sirius shot her a look, rolling his eyes.

"Jealous, Black?" she let the tease fall off her lips with what she knew to be a flirtatious smile.

Sirius was no amateur, though. He leaned forward, a hand on the back of her chair as he smirked, "You wish."

Marina's cheeks turned pink, and she opened her mouth to retort. Before she could say anything, she was interrupted.

"Marina?" Mrs. Potter asked, her fork halfway to her mouth.

The two snapped back to reality, and Sirius sat back against his chair. Marina turned to her mother, trying to force her cheeks to return to their normal color and her heart to return to its normal speed.

"Hm?" she asked.

"I asked if those Gryffindor girls were still giving you trouble," Mrs. Potter explained.

"Oh," Marina acknowledged. She went on to explain how they'd become friends through Lily's sudden change of heart about the Potter siblings, and the conversation took off again from there.

James stuffed another bite of turkey in his mouth, shaking his head at the two of them. Sirius considered giving him the finger, but he figured that it wouldn't be the best idea given the setting.

The rest of dinner was as happy as all the others had ever been, and Sirius couldn't help but feel appreciative for the entire family for the thousandth time in his life.

"Alright, at what time is it appropriate to get up and get to the presents?" Mr. Potter joked, his crooked smile matching James' as they shared a high-five.

"You two are insufferable," Marina laughed.

Not needing another cue, they moved to take the dishes of food to the kitchen sink to be charmed clean later. When Sirius stood, Marina took his plate before he could, following James and her mother to the kitchen. He sighed, watching her leave, and helped Mr. Potter with the rest of the food that would be leftovers for days to come.

James was the first one in the sitting room, on the floor next to the tree as eager to open presents as ever. It seemed that it didn't matter how much he'd matured this year, the boy just loved giving and receiving presents. Sirius sat down in the armchair closest to the tree as Mr. and Mrs. Potter took the sofa.

"Who's first?" Mr. Potter looked even more excited than James. Sirius figured that's where he got it from.

"You're last," Mrs. Potter chuckled, some grey hair falling out of her bun as she leaned forward to pass a present to Sirius, "Here."

"I'm first?" he asked, surprised. "That's too much pressure."

The family laughed, but Sirius looked over at Marina who gave him a nod of encouragement. Her red dress fanned out around her legs from where she sat on the floor next to James. Sirius tore into the package, trying not to look too excited. He opened a box to reveal a new set of school robes, complete with new ties, a jumper, and trousers to match.

"It was brought to our attention that you hadn't gotten new robes since fourth year," Mrs. Potter exclaimed. "Apparently, someone thought that they didn't fit right, and since your parents wouldn't buy you new ones..."

Marina was watching Sirius with a guilty smile.

"Are you telling me that my clothes don't fit me?" he raised an eyebrow at her.

"Not as well as they used to," she replied innocently.

He let out an offended scoff, but he had to admit, she was right. Besides, if she'd noticed, it meant she was looking.

"Thank you," he said to Mr. and Mrs. Potter. "For the gift, for dinner, for letting me stay here. Really, for everything."

The two smiled warmly at him, and Mr. Potter clapped him on the back "No need to thank us, Sirius. You're family. This is what family does for one another."

James waited all but ten seconds before exclaiming, "My turn!"

He jumped toward a gift labeled "From Marina, To James" but Marina grabbed his arm before he could rip the wrapping paper off.

"If you're opening that, Sirius needs to open his, too," she ordered.

James pouted, but he scanned the small collection of presents under the tree for Marina's gift to Sirius. When he picked up a lazily wrapped bundle of something bigger than James' box, Marina shook her head.

"Not that one, the other one," she pointed to a box identical to James' in all but color.

"How many presents did you guys get him?" James laughed, and Marina elbowed him in the side.

She snatched the present from James' hand and stood up to walk it across the small space for Sirius.

"You're killing us with the suspense here, kids," Mr. Potter said.

Instead of returning to her spot on the floor next to James, Marina decided to take a seat on the arm of Sirius' armchair, and the two took that as their cue to open their presents.

Sirius opened his box to see his face staring back at him in a small, square mirror. When the two boys looked up at Marina, they wore matching expressions of cautious gratitude.

"There's gotta be a joke in there about Sirius and his reflection," James quipped.

Marina laughed as Sirius told him to shove off.

"Sirius, say James' name into the mirror," she told him.

He obeyed, and the image of his face shimmered before being replaced by James'. Sirius' eyes widened, and he laughed in shock, waving at him through the mirror. It seemed that his voice carried through the mirror, too, and James matched his excitement.

"How did you do that?" James asked.

She smiled, her pride showing as she explained, "It's a variation of the Protean charm. I thought it'd be a good to have for your pranks and general mischief-making. I've been working on it for most of term."

"It's brilliant!" Sirius exclaimed. His eyes were bright as he tried to convey just how thankful he was for the gift. "I knew you were fantastic at Charms, but this—"

Marina laughed, giving a nonchalant shrug, "It was nothing, really."

Sirius shook his head at her in awe. It wasn't fair, honestly; she was brilliant, beautiful, funny, great at Quidditch—she really was a dream.

"Who's next?" she asked the room.

"You are," Mr. Potter pointed at a gift behind James for them to give to her, and the cycle continued.

Mr. Potter received a pair of fancy shoes that Mrs. Potter said he needed desperately. Apparently, it didn't matter how much money the Potters had, they treasured their belongings until they fell apart regardless of what it was. Then, other times, it helped to have a bit of money. Mrs. Potter got a stunning pearl necklace from her husband, and the twins pretended to gag as they shared a quick kiss afterward. Marina got a couple new jumpers from her parents and a huge collection of her favorite sweets from Honeydukes along with a bottle of firewhiskey from James that left their parents scolding him for a few minutes afterward. They didn't seem to notice the girl tuck the bottle behind Sirius' back for him to hold onto until later.

James got Sirius a fake adoption certificate that read "Sirius Potter" and the entire family had a huge laugh at that. He also got him an assortment of Muggle sweets that he thought he'd like to try and a book on Quidditch, and Sirius almost thought to joke about the lack of firewhiskey, but he thought better of it. He knew Marina would share hers.

"Alright, Marina's turn," Sirius had just given Mr. and Mrs. Potter their gifts, and James was still smiling down at his new emerald green jumper. He'd saved the best for last, and be handed the girl her gift.

She held the gift in her hands gingerly, deciding to tear at the wrapping paper carefully. Marina took off the paper to reveal two boxes. She started with the larger of the two.

" _Pride and Prejudice_ by Jane Austen," Marina's eyes widened as she read the title, and she looked up at Sirius with an excited smile. "This is the Muggle book that Lily was talking about!"

The rest of the family looked confused, and Sirius scratched the back of his neck with a relieved smile.

"Yeah, I asked her about a bookstore they might sell it at, and apparently, it's a pretty famous book, so she said anywhere would do—"

"Oh, it's perfect!" Marina exclaimed.

"Could someone tell me what the heck this 'Pride and Perjury' thing is?" James asked, raising his hand.

Sirius opened his mouth to respond, but Marina was far too excited, " _Pride and Prejudice_ , James."

"It's a book, er, a romance book," Sirius explained.

"A very famous one, and it's not _only_ about romance," Marina corrected. "I'd been trying so hard to find it at the bookshop at Hogsmeade and at the library at Hogwarts, but they said they didn't own a copy... I'd only mentioned it once, maybe twice..."

Her eyes met Sirius' and she felt her heart flutter in her chest. He'd paid attention.

James wasn't the only one who noticed the silent staring contest between the two, and Mr. Potter cleared his throat, "Isn't there more?"

"More?" Marina returned her gaze to the smaller box.

When she opened it, she revealed a thin silver chain necklace with a small charm of a four-legged animal: a fox. It was beautiful, and it was her.

"It's a fox," Sirius smiled proudly seeing her speechless. James hid a smirk as he understood. "A vixen, if you want to get technical."

Marina opened and closed her mouth in shock. It was so delicate, so beautifully made, she wondered who could've made such a remarkable piece of jewelry.

"How did you—"

"Well, you were cutting it a little close, time-wise," Sirius smirked. "I had it ordered and delivered immediately after, you know."

"But—" she cut herself off. Marina couldn't explain why tears were welling in her eyes, but she didn't really care. She threw her arms around him in an impromptu hug.

Sirius wrapped his arms around her, the scent of her shampoo all that he could smell, and then, she pulled away. When he saw her try to inconspicuously wipe away a tear, his eyes widened. Was it that good of a present?

"Last one," James held up the badly wrapped present from Marina to Sirius, tossing it lightly across the room to him.

"Oh," Marina smiled at the lump of a gift, "I just—oh, nevermind. Just open it."

Sirius pretended to shake it by his ear, and the Potters let out a chuckle. He tore through the paper easily and held up a black leather jacket in front of him.

"You've got to be joking," Sirius' jaw was dropped, staring at the most perfect item of clothing he'd ever owned.

"I got it a few weeks before we went back to school," Marina winced as she said it. "It was going to be for your birthday, but you were being a—"

"You've been holding onto this since July?" Sirius exclaimed, his incredulity not lost on her.

James burst out laughing, "Maybe if your birthday hadn't been so dramatic, you'd have gotten it sooner!"

Marina bit her lip to hide her smile, but Sirius just looked up at her in shock, "I can't believe you'd keep me from this."

"Oh, fuck off—"

"Language," Mrs. Potter chastised, but Marina just rolled her eyes.

"It was a fair punishment for the way you acted after Halloween," Marina stuck out her tongue at him. He almost couldn't blame her.

"But it's the most perfect thing I've ever seen—" Sirius started to take off his jumper, leaving only his button down and tie on. Marina blushed as he put the jacket on over it, and he stood up, turning to face her with eyes full of anticipation. "How hot do I look in this?"

Marina wasn't sure how to answer that question honestly in front of her entire family also sitting in the room, so she opted for the PG answer.

"You look hot, Sirius," she replied simply.

He turned to face James, "Oh, then I'm never taking this off."

"Ever?" James raised an eyebrow at him.

"There could be one instance in which I could be persuaded," he smirked. It was clear that the jacket was going to give him even more confidence. Marina scoffed loudly.

"Really? Sex jokes in front of my parents?" James smacked him, but the Potters were laughing at them from the sofa.

Sitting on the arm of the comfy chair in her sitting room, surrounded by almost all of her favorite people, Marina's heart felt full. Seeing Sirius' look of pure excitement at the present she got for him, she knew she could live off the feeling that his smile brought her for the rest of her life. Marina loved him, she knew that, and as she watched him then, all the fear was gone...

All she felt was happiness.

✱✱✱✱✱

Sirius turned over in his bed, unable to sleep. In the dim light of the moon shining through the curtains on the window, he was able to make out the outline of his new leather jacket. He smiled.

Something had changed. He wasn't sure what it was, but something like a switch had been flipped inside him, and Marina, too. Her face when he saw her at dinner, the blush on her cheeks when he whispered in her ear, and the tear she tried to hide after she opened her present from him—he wanted to know what it meant. A hopeful part of him was confident enough to ask her, and he almost got out of bed in that moment to go find her. His pessimistic side talked him out of it, and he turned his back to his jacket.

 _Wait, no_ , he scolded himself, sitting upright in bed. _Who am I, Peter? That's exactly what I'm going to do._

He made it all the way over to the door, opening it and stepping into the hallway with determination on his face before he froze. _But what if she's asleep?_ _What if she laughs in my face or tells me that I'm imagining things?_

Shoving aside the negative thoughts, he silently padded down the hall toward her room. Fearing the way that knocking would carry through the house, he winced and slowly opened the door.

"Marina?" he whispered.

No answer, but it wasn't because she was sleeping. The girl wasn't in her bed.

He was immediately concerned, and his hand reached for his wand that wasn't there. He had left it on the table next to his bed. But before he could react too dramatically, Sirius heard the sound of something soft hitting something hard, and a muffled girl's voice cursing to herself.

Following the sound, he quietly made his way down the stairs and into the kitchen.

He found Marina sitting on the floor, frowning at her pinky toe. Sirius almost laughed out loud, but he managed to stay quiet as he shook his head at her.

"What happened?" he held out his hands to help her up, and Marina stared at them for a moment before taking them.

He pulled her to her feet, accidentally on purpose pulling her a bit too close to him.

"I stubbed my toe," she replied simply, making her way back to the kitchen table.

"And you ended up on the floor?" he raised an eyebrow.

"I had to make sure it wasn't bleeding," she explained as though it was obvious.

"And what are you doing at..." Sirius checked his watch, eyes widening. "No way that it's already one o'clock in the morning."

Marina smirked, "I guess I wasn't the only one who couldn't sleep."

The girl held up a small sugar cookie with red and green sprinkles and offered him the small tub full of them. He took one, and the two bumped them together in cheers before each taking a bite.

"So," Sirius said, mouth full of cookie, "you up waiting for Santa?"

She laughed, Sirius' favorite sound, and shook her head, "No. I just..."

"You were thinking," his voice was hesitant, and Marina wondered if he had any idea what she could possibly be thinking about.

She met his eyes, "Yeah, I was."

"Me too," his voice was nearly a whisper.

The whole house was silent for just a moment, and Marina looked away, biting down hard on her tongue. Sirius watched as her fingers found their way up to her neck where the vixen charm hung. His eyes gleamed, realizing she'd already put it on even though she was supposed to be sleeping. Remembering why he'd gotten out of bed in the first place, he felt anxiety grow in the pit of his stomach, but he wasn't going to let himself be a coward. Not anymore.

"I need to know—"

"Maybe we should—" Marina stopped, realizing Sirius had also spoken. "Er, sorry."

"You go first," Sirius felt relief subdue his anxiety as he waited for her to speak.

"I was just going to say that maybe we should some sleep," she didn't look at him as she spoke, seemingly very interested in the floor. "You know, tomorrow being Christmas and everything."

Sirius felt his heart sink a bit at her words, but he nodded. He should've known that the middle of the night on Christmas Eve wasn't a good time to get into explaining several weeks worth of odd behavior, anyway.

"You're right," Sirius agreed. He fixed a smile on his face and continued. "You definitely need as much beauty sleep as you can get."

Marina smiled and looked down at her hands. They walked up the stairs, parting at Marina's room. Before Sirius could walk too far away, she reached for his hand, furrowing her brows.

"Wait," she stared up at him, "what were you going to say?"

Sirius smiled down at their interlocked hands, and simply shook his head, "It can wait."

Marina felt the warmth leave her body as he let go of her hand and walked the short distance to his own room.

When he opened his door, he whispered across the hall, "Goodnight, Marina."

He was already inside before she could respond with her quiet, "Goodnight."

As if in a trance, Marina entered her room and sat down on her bed. Her fingers found the charm on the end of her necklace, and she stared at her bedroom door as though it might burst into flames. Her stomach was full of butterflies, and the feeling was making her light-headed. She'd been seconds away from saying something that couldn't have been unsaid.

But, she'd wanted to. In her heart, she knew that she still did.

Her eyes were starting to burn as she stared at her door. What was stopping her now? Her pulse sped up, and she felt herself get to her feet. James was right. Everything made sense now, so _what was she going to do about it?_

Her heart was in her throat as she placed her hand on her doorknob. Her hands were shaking as she turned the handle and opened the door with a speed she didn't know she had.

She almost choked on her own breath when she saw Sirius standing right in front of her.

He didn't wait for her to let him in.

"You know, you are—you're just... infuriating, sometimes," he muttered, running a hand through his long hair as he turned on his heel to point a finger at her. Marina scrambled for her wand, fearful of his volume, but Sirius waved his, casting a Silencing charm around the room. "Seriously, so _frustrating_ _—_ "

His tirade was cut short as Marina was thrown back into reality, all the nervous feelings shoved to the back of her mind as she focused on Sirius throwing insults at her.

"You must be joking!" she exclaimed, testing the limits of Sirius' spellcasting. "You've got to be the most ridiculous person I've ever met! You're telling me that I'm the frustrating one—" she could almost laugh. "You don't know half of the shit you've put me through in the past few weeks."

Sirius barked a laugh, "You think a few weeks is bad? Try _years_ , Vixey."

"Well, whose fault is that?" Marina shouted. Her skin felt like it was on fire as she yelled at him. "All you do is sulk about Benjy bloody Fenwick and give Remus and me your fucking blessing instead of coming to me like a man!"

"It's a lot better than completely avoiding me!" Sirius took a step closer, his eyes wild. "And yelling at me about Macdonald? Try taking your own advice, hypocrite!"

"You do not want to test me, Sirius," Marina lessened the distance between them again. She was livid, "I wasn't the one who completely shut down on you when you decided to kiss me."

Sirius glared at her, "I apologized for that—"

"YOU NEVER EVEN ASKED ME WHAT I THOUGHT ABOUT IT!" she felt like a toddler, screaming at the top of her lungs, and even Sirius was taken aback. His eyes were wide in shock as she continued, "I told you after that you didn't need to apologize for it—"

"I-I thought you just said that so things wouldn't be awkward—"

"Yet again, you put your keen and penetrating mind to the task and come to the completely wrong conclusion," Marina's voice was sharp.

Sirius suddenly realized how close they were as he felt Marina's breath on his face while looking down at her. Marina noticed, too. Her heart felt like it might rip through her chest. They both breathed heavily, faces red.

"You told me to forget it ever happened, but—"

"I told you to forget it because—" he looked desperate to explain.

" _I don't care_ ," she'd heard enough.

Marina reached her hand up to the back of his neck and pulled his lips to meet hers.

Sirius reacted instantly, kissing her back with such intensity that Marina saw stars. He wrapped his arms tightly around her to pull her as close to him as he could, and Marina locked her arms around his neck, not planning on ever moving. Their lips moved expertly together, almost as though they were the only people they were ever meant to kiss.

To say that Marina was shocked when he pulled away from her and moved across the room was an understatement. She reached up to touch her lips, and she realized that she had to tell herself to breathe.

"Sirius—"

"No, I just..." his voice was soft as he turned his eyes on her. "Do you know how long I've imagined doing that?"

"I love you," she said.

Sirius felt his world stop, right there. Marina knew the feeling.

"Y-You," Marina was shaking from the adrenaline, and she even let out a laugh, "You're everywhere! Merlin, I can't catch a break... It's like—" she shook her head, and Sirius managed to comprehend that she was pacing now. "Okay, it's like this. Ever since you kissed me, I'll see you, and I can't think straight. I tried to get back where we were before, but I can't because you're—you're everywhere, Sirius. You're in everything I do, every decision I make..." she fiddled with the charm on her necklace. "And I hate myself for just realizing now... because it's always been you."

Sirius stared, jaw hanging open as he stared at the person he loved more than anyone else in the world. And she loved him back.

"It'll always be you," she took the steps needed to close the distance between them, and she placed a hand on his cheek. "You and me."

He placed his hand on top of hers, eyes shining in happiness, and Marina felt a smile grow big enough to make her cheeks hurt.

"I have loved you," he took a breath as he finally spoke, "for as long as I can remember knowing you. When I kissed you, I'd finally reached my breaking point. You are everything I've ever wanted, and I couldn't take it anymore," he said. Marina let out a giggle as a tear leaked out of her eye. He wiped it away with his thumb as he continued, "I told you to forget about it—"

She shook her head, "I told you I don't care."

"For once, will you listen to me?" he joked, and Marina allowed it with a nod and a small smirk. "I told you to forget about it because I couldn't stand to lose you. I didn't care if you were my friend for the rest of my life as long as you'd still be my best friend. I need you, Marina. More than anyone or anything else."

Sirius wiped away another tear from her cheek and held her face in his hands. His lips felt like a feather brushing against hers as he closed the space between them for the second time that night. This kiss was different from the heated, almost frenzied one that resulted from their argument; it conveyed every single emotion they'd ever suppressed until that moment.

It was magical.

They weren't thinking about anything besides each other and the greatest kiss of their lives, so when Sirius took a step forward, he accidentally pushed her too far, and the two fell backward onto Marina's bed. They broke apart, eyes meeting for a moment only to burst out laughing in each other's arms.

When they'd finally regained their breath, Sirius turned onto his side to look at her.

"What?" she finally asked. He thought she'd never looked more beautiful, cheeks flushed and lips swollen from their kiss.

He laid his head down on her pillow, smiling up at her, "Remember the last time I was here?"

"Of course," Marina intertwined their fingers, laying beside him. "Best night's sleep I'd had in awhile."

He smiled at that, and he placed a kiss into her hair. Marina snuggled closer to him. They must've been in shock, or maybe they were dreaming—but for the first time in a long time, they were incandescently, overwhelmingly, and invincibly happy.

Suddenly, Sirius sat bolt upright in the bed, "Merlin's beard, I've done it."

"Done what?" Marina raised an eyebrow at him, not moving from her position.

He turned to her, a triumphant smirk on his face as he replied.

"The Snitch, I've caught it."


	17. The New Year

The morning light shone brightly through the cracks in Marina's bedroom window curtains, making patterns in the opposite wall. Still, Marina slept, her quiet breathing at a steady, calm rhythm in Sirius' ear.

He'd been awake for almost an hour now despite the late time at which they'd fallen asleep. The two stayed awake for a couple hours after their dramatic confession, laughing, talking, kissing—it was pure bliss, and they fell asleep in each other's arms.

Looking at her, Sirius felt his heart lurch. He loved her, and she loved him, too.

He resisted the urge to reach out and push the messy tendrils of brunette hair out of her face, but he managed to stay still; he didn't want to wake her. Sirius almost pinched himself, wondering how this could be real. The usual desire to get started on his day was smothered by the need to remain in this spot, in her bed, next to her, for the rest of his days.

"How long have you been awake?" Marina asked softly. Her eyes remained closed.

Sirius only smiled, "A while." He should've known, she was always a light sleeper.

"Too afraid to leave my room first?" her hazel eyes finally met his, and Sirius melted.

"Something like that," he slowly leaned forward to meet her lips, but Marina pulled away. Sirius frowned, a flicker of fear shooting through him.

It vanished with her smirk as she rolled out of bed, "Maybe I'll kiss you once you've brushed your teeth." Marina laughed.

Sirius sat up in the bed, crossing his arms behind his head. "You should be so lucky."

Marina ignored him, though the sight of his shirtless body—when did he take off his shirt?—in her bed was distracting, to say the least. She disappeared into her closet to get ready for the day, leaving it open just a crack. He knew she did that on purpose, and he rolled his eyes, not moving from his spot.

Marina was halfway through pulling on a jumper and a pair of jeans when a rapid knock and the sound of her bedroom door opening interrupted her blissful morning.

"'Rina, hurry, we're about to eat—" James' voice stopped when he saw Sirius looking as calm as ever sat up in his sister's bed. "You are not Marina."

Sirius had the decency to look caught, "No."

Marina poked her head out of her closet, "That'd be me."

"You're not wearing a shirt, mate," James observed.

"No," Sirius repeated.

James turned to Marina, "You told him, then?"

Marina smacked her brother on the arm, halfway through pulling her hair into a ponytail, "Yes. What if I hadn't, though?"

James ignored her, and with a jump, he picked his sister up into his arms and twirled her around the room as laughter bubbled from her chest, much to Sirius' amusement. He reached the bed, laughing loudly, and landed right on top of Sirius. Just like when they were kids, back when there was nothing but endless laughs and happy moments.

James was the first to pull himself to his feet, Marina wasn't too keen on removing her head from Sirius' chest, and he smiled down at them.

"Thank Merlin. It's about time," James shook his head. "It was starting to get unbearable watching you two around each other."

His eyes widened, and Sirius and Marina raised eyebrows at him.

"I owe Evans five Galleons," he pouted, and Marina chucked a pillow at him as he dove out of the way toward the door. Before he left, he sent them a smirk, "Oh, and I'm not kidding. We're about to eat, and our stockings are full. Mum and dad have been waiting for a while, and they were wondering what was keeping Sirius this morning. Surely, _he_ doesn't sleep in."

Leaving them with his troublemaker smile, he bolted from the room before Marina could hit him with her last pillow.

Marina looked up at Sirius with sparkling eyes. She leaned up and kissed him quickly on the lips before jumping out of bed and making her way toward the door to follow her brother.

"Already?" Sirius pouted, his eyes practically begged her to come back, but Marina stood her ground.

"Don't want to leave my parents waiting," she teased. Her tongue poked out between her teeth, "Besides, if I stay here any longer, I'm not sure what I'll do."

Sirius shrugged, straight-faced, "I'm okay with that."

Marina only laughed, shaking her head as she closed the door behind her. Sirius couldn't stop smiling as he threw on his shirt from the day before and followed her.

✱✱✱✱✱

"Ah, I see that you've finally decided to sleep in one of these days," Mr. Potter greeted Sirius from behind the morning's edition of the Daily Prophet.

Marina, having left a moment before Sirius, smirked into her breakfast.

"Just couldn't sleep last night," Sirius took a seat next to Marina with a matching smirk. "Something just kept me up."

She kicked him in the shin, but he didn't even flinch. James rolled his eyes, but even he couldn't hide his smirk. He'd already dug into his stocking and was munching on a Chocolate Frog. Sirius found some Licorice Wands in his, and he was happy to see that the Potters remembered his favorite candy.

"Boys," Mrs. Potter chastised. "Eat your breakfast first, sweets come later."

Marina took another bite of egg and looked at her brother, smug.

"So, any fun Christmas plans today?" Mr. Potter asked.

James shrugged, "Remus and Peter do Christmas today, like everyone else."

"We're the only ones who open presents on Christmas Eve," Marina reminded them.

"They've all got plans with their families, then?" Mrs. Potter wondered.

"As we should," James finished his Chocolate Frog much to his mother's disapproval.

"You know, we could crash the Yule Ball my parents hold every year on Christmas Day to remind half-bloods and Muggle-borns that Pure-bloods should celebrate Yule instead of the Muggle-modernized 'Christmas,'" Sirius deadpanned.

Marina snorted, sarcasm dripping from her voice as she replied, "Yeah, let's do that!"

"Sounds like a nightmare," Mr. Potter agreed with a solemn face. The man frowned, holding the newspaper closer to his face as he read with furrowed brows. James and Marina exchanged quizzical looks, waiting for their father to explain. He held up the newspaper, pointing at one of the columns. "Says here that a small Muggle town, Wallfield, took a rather brutal attack on Christmas Eve."

James snatched the paper from his father with wide eyes, "That's near Cokeworth, isn't it?"

"Quite," Mrs. Potter looked concerned.

"That's where Lily lives," Marina realized.

"'Only three Muggles survived, a man and his daughter, and a young boy orphaned at only seven years old. They've been Obliviated as protocol by the Statute of Secrecy...'" James read. He looked up at his family, horrified, "That's three hundred and four Muggles dead. On Christmas Eve."

The room was silent for a moment, taking in the information.

"I've gotta owl Evans..." James sped off, leaving without a second glance.

Marina felt the urge to do the same, but she was still thinking about all the people that'd died simply because they were non-magical. Were people really that cruel? She stole a look at Sirius, watching as he clenched and unclenched his hand into a fist. Without overthinking it, she placed her hand over his, and he intertwined their fingers.

She wished there was something she could do. Hearing of this injustice in the world made her want to fight, but what could a sixteen, almost seventeen, year old witch do to prevent genocide against the entire British population? The thought of a child taking down Voldemort almost made her shiver; she'd be utterly outgunned, but it didn't smother the feeling of wanting to lay a punch on his ugly face.

Then, Marina remembered the group of Slytherins at school. Surely, she could do something about them, especially with help from the boys and her roommates. They'd stand by her if it came to conflict, and maybe by nipping their recruitment to Voldemort's army in the proverbial bud, they could make some difference.

"Happy bloody Christmas," Sirius muttered.

The remaining Potters shared his sentiments.

✱✱✱✱✱

_Dear James,_

_I'm all right, still a bit shaken, but thanks for asking. The attack came as a bit of a shock, and one of my neighbors said they the explosion on the way home from their extended family's house. I'm still not sure what excuse they could've used to pass the attack off as a Muggle event, but I'm sure the Ministry's done it. It was a difficult thing to have to explain to my parents, but I think they've finally come to terms with the seriousness of the war. At least there's that._

_Have you received your present, yet? I apologize if you already have something like it, but I digress. I loved mine, thank you so much for the book and sweets—I'd never realized there were parts of the Wizarding World that I hadn't uncovered yet. I have a bit more to send for your sister, Sirius, and the rest of your group. Hope you're having a good holiday, and I expect you'll keep me updated on any developments in our recent bet?_

_Happy Christmas!_

_Sincerely,_   
_Lily_

James stared in awe at the present he received only moments before Guinevere returned with Lily's letter response. Lily got him a present? He didn't even care what it was—he loved it.

Trying not to look too eager, he ripped open the paper to find a book. He broke out into a grin; leave it to Evans to get him some kind of book for Christmas. His smile only grew as he read the title: _Unstoppable Teams: Quidditch Captains and their Strategies Through the Ages._ He was happy to note that he didn't have that book, and he felt a jolt of excitement at the prospect of hearing about more ways to improve his game and motivate his team. If Lily was helping them, surely his first year as Quidditch Captain would result in the Cup. There was a package of Muggle sweets that he was excited to try, too.

He'd gotten Lily a present like every other year, but before, he stuck to a usual routine: her favorite sweets (Sugar Quills and Bertie Bott's), whatever cool magical item he found at Dervish and Banges when he last visited, and a piece of over-expensive jewelry he thought was pretty. This year, he figured he shouldn't bother with the that, and instead, he actually got her a book, too. Well, he also got her the sweets. As she was Muggle-born, James was proud in assuming that there were a few things she didn't catch up on simply because the time for them had passed: fairy tales. He got her a copy of _Tales of Beedle the Bard._ In his opinion, she'd like "The Fountain of Fair Fortune," and he wrote her a note with confidence that she'd like that story best. Knowing Lily, she'd want to know every part of the magical culture she missed in the eleven years she'd not known she was a witch. As it turned out, he was right.

But, never before had she ever sent him something in return. His heart lurched and he knew he was in deeper trouble that he first imagined.

Loving Lily Evans through his whole life had been something of a habit, and he never used to think of breaking it. As soon as he'd even consider it, he was pulled back in. At the beginning of term, he'd been serious about finally deciding to be over the girl. Of course, that was when Lily decided to put her prejudice and their past behind her and attempt a friendship with not just Marina, but him, too. He kept pulling her back in.

As he read her letter for the seventh time, James decided he didn't care. He'd go in whatever direction she pulled him in, no question.

Realizing he had actual news for her, all worries about the attack vanished as he scratched a quick note in reply to the girl, leaving a three-word message at the end along with five golden coins.

_Happy Christmas, Evans_

_Thanks for the present, I'm already planning on working a few of these captains' strategies into our game against Hufflepuff this January. Glad you liked yours, too._

_Glad you're all right. Let me know if you need anything, the Potter house is always open, as Sirius can attest. Speaking of Sirius..._

_You've earned it._

_Yours,_   
_James_

He stared at the word "Yours" and sighed; how true that really was.

✱✱✱✱✱

The next five days went by quicker than anyone thought possible. Sirius and Marina were inseparable, and James found this new romance to be highly inconvenient at a time when they were his only company. Still, as the two interacted, James found it interesting that he managed to not feel like a third-wheel for most of his life up until that point. He figured he was just living on borrowed time before now. He considered owling Remus or Peter, but the party was coming up, and he didn't want to impede on their family holiday. He even considered sending a letter to Lily, asking her to free him from the dreaded third-wheel, but he chickened out; not a great look for the self-proclaimed embodiment of Gryffindor.

Sirius and Marina, on the other hand, had never been happier. It certainly helped that they felt as though they were in their own little world, despite the occasional Daily Prophet that brought discouraging news of the war. At the Potter house, there was nothing there to pop their pretty, perfect bubble of bliss.

One day, they'd go on walks together hours long, talking about everything and anything. Another day, they'd take their brooms and fly around as they tried to race one another to the Snitch. Other days, they would hang out with James; they did feel bad for ditching him sometimes. Then, they'd be right back to where they were, snogging until the early hours of the morning.

It wasn't until New Year's Eve that they realized that they were going to have to leave their bubble and engage with the outside world. Diggory's party was that night, and James couldn't stop talking about it all day.

"Thank Merlin, that I'm going to be around people again," James exclaimed. He was currently getting ready for the party, yelling out of the bathroom across the hallway from Marina's room so they could all hear him. "I mean, I love you guys, really, but—"

"We get it, Prongs!" Sirius called from his room. The sound made Marina laugh. "We're just too happy, I understand."

"Too bloody happy!" James agreed. He was trying desperately to fix his hair as Marina decided what outfit to wear to the party. "I need someone who understands what I'm going through here— _ow!_ "

The sound of someone getting smacked with a hairbrush cut him off, and Marina's laugh echoed through the house. Sirius smirked to himself, proud.

"Hurry up in the bathroom," he said, nudging James out of the way. "We all know your hair isn't going to stay flat, just give up now."

James frowned at him, "Just because we both know that, doesn't mean that you have to say it."

"All right, boys," Marina exited her room, holding two hangers in each hand. "Black or red?"

"Do you ever wear any other color—" James was interrupted.

"Red," Sirius replied instantly, leaning his back against the bathroom doorframe.

Marina tossed the two hangers in her left hand back inside the room and held up the remaining two, "Dress or skirt?"

James groaned and rolled his eyes into the back of his head, but Sirius cocked his head to the side, thinking.

"What's easier to take off?" he asked, the innocence in his voice a contrast to his words.

James smacked Sirius on the back of his head, muttering curses at him under his breath.

Marina pondered his words, "The dress, probably, but I don't think the party is that dressy, you know?"

"Oh my God," James pushed past Marina and grabbed the plain red skirt out of her hand, marching over to her closet and pulling out a long-sleeved black ruffled shirt. He chucked the two items into Marina's arms and returned to his place in front of the bathroom mirror, trying to comb his hands through his hair.

Sirius nodded at the outfit her brother had created, "He's right."

Marina mockingly blew a kiss toward James in thanks and closed the door to her room to change. She grabbed a pair of black shoes and a thin gold wire headband to complete the look as she charmed her hair into soft waves worthy of Marlene. As she placed the headband on her head, she smiled at herself in the mirror, eyes catching the glint of a silver vixen charm hanging from her neck. She Transfigured her headband's color to silver, and Marina exited her room.

As she skipped down the stairs, the realization that the first time she and Sirius would be out as a couple outside of the house sunk in. Her smile dropped, and an inexplicable bout of nervousness settled in the pit of her stomach.

Sirius, who'd been waiting in the kitchen, watched her face fall, and he moved over to her in concern.

"What's wrong?" he asked. He sensed her hesitance, and he replied before she could ask, "James is still upstairs stressing over what to wear for Evans, what's wrong?"

Marina opened and closed her mouth. She knew she was being stupid, but she couldn't help it.

"Er, this party," she began, and he nodded, urging her on, "this is our first... outing."

"Yes..." Sirius agreed, waiting for her to get to the point. Marina frowned at him.

"We've had such a good few days, I don't want anything to change, I mean, we've only _just_ got together—"

"Why would anything change?" he asked, crossing his arms. Marina sighed inwardly; crossed arms meant he was getting defensive. It was one of her least favorite looks on him.

"I just mean—" Marina shook her head. "Look, we've never done this before. I love you, I do, with all of my heart. And I don't want something weird to happen and send us apart again... I just want you to know that, at the heart of everything, nothing's really changed that much."

Sirius wasn't sure he understood, "I mean, I should hope _some_ things have changed."

Marina almost laughed, and the small upturn in the corner of her lips gave Sirius a bit of confidence as she continued.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is... outside of our bubble of perfect happiness, just the two of us, there are things that we can't control," Marina stepped closer, wrapping her arms around his neck. "And just like before, I'm not going anywhere, I'm still your best friend—nothing's really changed."

"You and me," Sirius rested his forehead on hers.

"You and me," Marina repeated, and with a smile, she leaned up to press their lips together.

Marina was shocked that the simple, beautiful act of kissing Sirius Black managed to calm every single one of her nerves while still pushing her heartbeat to the absolute limit.

"If you two are done snogging," James checked his watch as he ran down the stairs to meet them, "we really should be going."

"Floo?" Sirius asked, leaving his arm across Marina's shoulders.

"Nah," James shook his head. "Too many people, we're almost late, and I don't wanna accidentally land on someone."

"He doesn't live too far," Marina chewed on her bottom lip. "I'd rather walk, I mean, I don't fancy James driving the car even when he's sober."

"But it's over a mile away," James complained.

"It'll take us maybe fifteen minutes, and that's if we walk slow," Sirius laughed, shaking his head.

The couple was already walking down the front steps as James grabbed his shoes next to the door, pulling them on quickly and jogging to catch up.

✱✱✱✱✱

Lily Evans arrived to Amos Diggory's New Years Eve party earlier than she usually did. This time, Dorcas and Marlene came together after spending the day together on a date, and Lily felt guilty, but she decided to just tell Mary to meet her at the party. She nervously tucked a piece of red hair behind her ear as she came to the conclusion that it was a mistake. Now, despite the fact she knew some of the people at the party, she stood alone against the wall as she waited for her actual friends to show up and save her from the social anxiety parties often brought.

Not only that, but she'd once gone out with Amos, and she certainly didn't feel like running into him again for an awkward conversation. As she leaned back against the wall, watching people talk, drink, snog, or play drinking games, she found herself wishing she could talk to James Potter. As soon as the thought came, she shoved it deep inside her, shaking her head to rid herself of it.

The front door opened again, and Lily turned hopefully toward it to see Sirius and Marina enter with James following closely behind. Everyone turned to look at them, and it seemed that only some had clued into the fact that Sirius was holding Marina's hand. Lily beamed at the sight.

It took only one sweep of the room for James to find Lily, and his smile grew upon seeing her. Before he could think about going to greet her, he was happily surprised by the girl coming to them.

"Hi!" Lily jumped forward, catching Marina in a hug.

Marina laughed, shaking her head, "Last time I saw you, I was calling you a bitch."

"I remember," Lily smirked, pulling the three of them out of the doorway. "I rather thought you'd be over that by now, seeing as you finally confessed your dying love for Sirius."

Sirius barked out a laugh, giving Lily a high-five as Marina turned red at her words.

"I don't know why I ever disliked you, Evans," Sirius chuckled to himself.

"It's getting easier for me to remember," Marina rolled her eyes, and the group laughed again.

"Thanks for the Galleons, by the way," Lily turned to James, a sparkle in her eye. "Next round of Butterbeer at Hogsmeade is on me."

"You earned it," James quoted his letter, and Lily curtsied jokingly in response.

"So, where're the girls?" Marina scanned the room again.

"I don't think they're here yet, but I've only just arrived myself," Lily answered. "I haven't checked the other rooms—"

"And you haven't gotten yourself a drink," Marina noticed, tutting as she shook her head.

"I wasn't going to drink tonight," Lily winced as the words came out of her mouth. "I just wasn't feeling it—"

Marina and Sirius burst out laughing, shaking their heads, but James managed to subdue his laughter to respond, "Come on, Evans. It's New Years. Don't you wanna celebrate the new 1977?"

Lily was already more in the party mood with the arrival of the three of them, but she was never one to go all out on nights like these. She left that up to her friends, but right then, she was wondering why she didn't feel the need to let go and lose control every once in a while.

"Come on, we'll do a lap and come back with drinks," Marina linked arms with Lily. "Don't miss us too much, boys."

Marina winked at Sirius over her shoulder as she pulled Lily out of the sitting room and toward the kitchen. The two watched them leave, content smiles on their faces.

Marina's eyes brightened when they reached the kitchen, "Ooh! Diggory's got Muggle stuff, too!" She reached for a bottle of cinnamon whiskey with a smile.

Lily elbowed Marina in the side making her spill a bit as she poured her drink, "Tell me _everything_ , right now."

And so she did.

As she talked, Marina poured Sirius a large cup of firewhiskey and herself a large cup of the Muggle kind, knowing they could switch to their taste whenever they wanted. James wanted Ogden's firewhiskey, as usual, and Lily poured herself a mix of watermelon vodka and a non-alcoholic Muggle drink called "Sprite."

"What?" Lily defended herself. "I'm easing into it, and by the way, just because you're not a lightweight doesn't mean I'm not!"

Marina laughed, "Touché."

"But back to you," Lily waved her off. "He just barged into your room at one in the morning—"

"Yep," Marina smiled remembering it. "We argued for a bit, and then... well I think I said something like, 'I don't care.' And then I just kissed him."

Lily nodded her head, "You two are just—"

"You're gonna say something mean now, aren't you—"

"—so dramatic!" Lily laughed, and Marina couldn't help but follow her into hysterics. "But, you're happy. And I'm so, so happy you are. And, for Merlin's sake Marina..."

Lily placed a hand on her shoulder, and Marina sent her a quizzical look.

"I told you so."

" _Bitch!_ "

Sirius and James were waiting in the sitting room for the girls for over fifteen minutes before they realized they were probably gossiping and that's why they were taking so long.

"How long does it take to tell your friend that you have a boyfriend?" James wondered.

"It's a good story," Sirius defended.

Before James could say something snarky in response, Remus and Peter entered the house, laughing about something they couldn't hear. Peter spotted them immediately and shuffled over to them quickly as Remus strolled over with a smile on his face.

"Hey guys," James greeted, clapping Peter and Remus on the back, and Sirius did the same. They nodded at him, but they were focused on Sirius.

"Padfoot sent us a letter saying he had something important to tell us, but he never actually said what it was..." Peter looked nervous, but excited for what Sirius had to say.

James threw up his hands, "You couldn't have just told them in a letter like a normal person?"

"Of course not," Sirius snapped. "This is much too important for that." James rolled his eyes, but gestured for him to speak. Sirius smirked and opened his mouth to continue, but a hand shoving a red plastic cup into his interrupted him.

Marina leaned forward to kiss him on the cheek, stealing his thunder, "Sirius and I are together."

Remus' eyes lit up, and he let out a loud cheer through the room. Only a few people turned to look over, and they returned to their conversations after a moment. Remus didn't seem to mind, too happy for his friends and the fact that it had taken too long for it to happen.

Lily handed James the drink Marina made for him, watching their friends react to the new couple. The two shared a look and a cheers before bringing their cups to their lips.

Peter smiled brightly, "That's great!" As usual, no one thought twice about his reaction. He'd gotten good at pretending.

Peter watched as Sirius took a sip from his drink, pretending to be mad at Marina as she whispered something in his ear. He wasn't sure why he was so surprised, it was only a matter of time before Sirius managed to get Marina. All the girls always wanted him, and they never even looked twice at Peter. He felt the usual feeling of bitterness and annoyance creep inside of him as he looked at his friend and the girl he fancied as a couple.

"Ah!" Marina exclaimed, pulling on Lily's elbow and pointing toward the front door. "Marlene!"

"Dorcas!" Lily called, and the two girls were off again.

After Marina told them what happened, their jaws were dropped. Marlene looked more relieved, and Dorcas looked simply shocked.

"I figured you liked him," Dorcas admitted, "but I didn't know you loved the boy!"

"Took me long enough to figure that out, too," Marina agreed. "Here, I'll tell you about it—you guys need a drink, right?"

Lily and Marlene laughed, shaking their head at Marina's enthusiasm. It seemed that the girl had gotten over whatever obstacle was between her and her happiness. They were overjoyed for her friend, and it was clear that the happiness wasn't going away anytime soon.

"Are they going back to the kitchen?" James scoffed, shaking his head.

Lily saw Remus and Peter on her way out, "Not that I'm a bartender, but what would you two like?"

They gave the redhead their drink order, and she escaped with the other girls to the kitchen.

"All they do is talk," Sirius agreed, shaking his head. "Anyone up for a game?" He pointed at the beer pong table that Diggory set up. The current game was almost over, and the boys agreed.

It was only ten o'clock, they had hours until the New Year, they might as well enjoy the end of what had been one of the most chaotic ones yet.

✱✱✱✱✱

Sirius lined up his next shot as Remus spoke words of encouragement from his spot next to him. They were on the last few cups, and despite James' perfect aim, Peter leveled them out, and Remus and Sirius had a chance to win this.

It would've been easier to focus without the shrill voice of Priscilla Arlington and her friends in his ear, making him wince whenever they clapped for him regardless of whether the shot went in or not.

Luckily for Sirius. this one went in, and he shared a high-five with Remus as James ran a hand through his hair, downing the cup in one gulp and preparing for his next shot.

For some reason, the moment after Sirius finished the shot seemed like the perfect time for Priscilla to approach him with her constant flirty look in her eye. The other boys were too focused on the game to notice, but the hand on his chest was a bit too obvious for Sirius to ignore. He removed it immediately.

Priscilla pouted, "Oh, please. Don't play hard to get, Sirius."

"I'm not hard to get," Sirius responded, not looking away from the table as James made his next shot and Remus downed the contents of the cup. "I am impossible to get."

"Remember last year? We had such a great time," the girl purred in his ear, and Sirius, never one to physically hurt a girl, gently shoved her back toward her friends.

"Not gonna happen, Priscilla," Sirius' voice was void of emotion. "I came with Marina."

Remus was trying to focus on taking his shot, but James wasn't even looking at the game anymore. His narrowed eyes were flicking back and forth from Sirius and Priscilla to something behind them.

"You always come with Marina," Apparently, the girl had no sense of dignity or she simply didn't get the message, because she stepped back up to Sirius' side and linked her arm through his, "Really, sweetie? Are you sure?"

"Aw, _sweetie_ ," Priscilla's arm was suddenly pulled out of his, and both of them turned to see what had done it. Marina stood with a satisfied smirk on her face, "He's sure."

Priscilla's confidence immediately tanked upon seeing Marina. Her friends standing behind her, watching with raised eyebrows made Priscilla look to her own group of Ravenclaws huddled anxiously by the table. The game had paused as James smirked at his sister, holding the ball in his hand and waiting for it all to be over.

Marina crossed her arms, "You can go now."

Priscilla took one more look over her shoulder at where Sirius was watching from. He didn't even acknowledge her existence with Marina standing in front of him, hip cocked and authority dripping from her voice. Where else was he meant to look when a picture that perfect existed?

"You know, I had that handled," Sirius said as she stepped closer.

Marina put her hand on the back of his neck, ruffling the hair there as she shrugged, "It was more fun to do it together."

Sirius leaned down and kissed her deeply, right there in front of everyone. Marina smiled into the kiss, making it last a bit longer than she should've.

"That should let them know," Marina whispered against his lips, and she pulled back. "Let me know if there's someone else I need to kiss you in front of."

Sirius shook his head, "I love you."

"You, too," Marina quirked her lips into a smirk. "Now, go win for me. James is getting awfully confident."

She returned to the group of girls sitting on the couch a short distance away. Marina sat down next to a newly arrived Mary. It seemed that she'd arrived just as Marina went to take care of Priscilla, and she was a selfish sort of happy that the girl had to watch that public display of affection. Dorcas was mid-way through explaining Sirius and Marina's new relationship status when she sat down.

Like she said, the bubble was popped. But they had each other's backs. It was still her and Sirius, and it would always be the two of them.

✱✱✱✱✱

Lily hadn't felt this far gone in a while, and the giggly, happy feeling told her that she was exactly where she needed to be. She was giddy, a feeling she only managed under the influence less than half the time. Watching Marina scare the life out of Priscilla with one look was amazing, and the rest of the girls had taken a shot in hilarious celebration. Who knew the small girl could be so scary?

Currently, she was on the steps outside of the house after casting a less than acceptable warming charm on herself to escape Amos Diggory and any form of conversation with him. It was odd, she always found herself on the outside of parties, taking a break from the world to simply live inside her own brain.

The door opened and closed again, and Lily moved to the side, out of the way of whoever was leaving the party. Instead of the person passing her, they sat down beside her on the steps.

Furrowing her brows, Lily looked to the side to see James sitting beside her with a small smile.

"I can leave, if you want," he offered, but Lily shook her head quickly. She hoped she didn't look too eager.

"No," she finally said, as if the head-shaking weren't enough. "I'm... drunk."

James gasped as though he were in a horror movie, "Lily Evans, _prefect_ , is drunk at a house party?"

Lily tried to shove him, but she missed, her arm going behind his back, and she fell into him, losing her balance. Her head landed on his shoulder, but she couldn't be bothered to be embarrassed. Lily let out a series of giggles that made James' eyes widen in real shock as she pulled herself back to an upright position.

Through her laughs, Lily managed to say, "Told ya!"

"Blimey," James smirked at her, "how much have you had, Evans?"

"More than usual," Lily admitted. "'Rina calls me a lightweight, though, so I don't think—oops," Lily spilled a bit of her drink on the ground. Taking a deep breath, she looked over at James sheepishly, repeating, "More than usual."

James burst out laughing, shaking his head in awe, "I don't think I've ever seen you like this."

"I promise, you haven't," Lily winked. James felt his cheeks redden. "Drunk Lily isn't someone I like very much, except in only the rarest of circumstances."

"And why don't you like her very much," James played along.

Lily took a while to answer, her gaze settled on the crescent moon as it shone on them in a cloudless sky. No clouds, no coverage, just light.

"Because," Lily felt her giddy mood shift a bit, "she's not in control."

James sensed it, too, and he nodded. "I get it."

Lily watched him, she wasn't sure that he did. Inhibitions gone, she told him just that: "I don't think you do."

He remained silent, waiting for her to explain.

"Not sure if you know this about me, Potter," Lily sent him a dazzling smile as she tossed her hair behind her shoulder. "But I'm a bit of a control freak."

"I know," he blurted before he could stop himself. Lily only laughed, the giddiness returning for a moment.

"I don't like looking stupid," she continued. "I don't like feeling as though my mind isn't my own. And I certainly don't like discovering that I made stupid decisions because I couldn't think straight."

James looked down at his hands, "Stupid decisions like tell me about a secret like this?"

Lily stared at him, "Maybe."

He nodded.

"But I don't think I'll regret this," she finished, looking out at the dark night. James didn't move, afraid he'd ruin the moment.

The half-arsed warming charm Lily performed under the influence was starting to wear off, and she felt herself shiver involuntarily. James noticed, and he took off his coat, draping it over her shoulders. Lily gave him a small smile, and he felt as though everything was right in the world. He might not know a lot about girls, but he knew that when one was cold, the polite thing to do is give her your jacket. Gryffindors valued chivalry, did they not?

The idle chattering and low music from the party inside seemed to have gotten louder, and the words, "It's almost midnight!" reached their ears.

"We'd better get inside, then," Lily stood, and she offered him a hand.

James took it, and despite her previous unbalancedness, Lily strolled gracefully into the house, James' jacket still hanging from her shoulders. He shook his head, chuckling silently to himself as he watched her.

They met up with their friends where they left them, laughing to each other on the couches in the sitting room. Marina was sitting in between Sirius' legs, Remus and Mary next to him, and Peter sat on the floor beside them. Dorcas and Marlene were cuddled up on the second couch, leaving room for two to squeeze in, and James and Lily obliged.

"Where were you two off to?" Sirius wiggled his eyebrows at them, but Lily pretended not to hear him. James threw an empty cup at him, but he batted it away with a laugh.

Marina kicked James' ankle from her place on the ground, sending him an inquisitive face, but he kept his mouth shut, shaking his head. She narrowed her eyes, but she allowed it. If there were a bigger reason that Lily Evans was suddenly wearing James' jacket other than protection from the cold, he would have told her; that much was obvious.

"Countdown in the sitting room!" a voice announced.

Soon, the rest of the party had congregated in one room as Diggory cast a spell for the countdown. The Marauders stood from their seats, helping the girls to their feet to blend with the crowd around the huge, sparkling, golden numbers counting down from twenty.

"19!" the crowd began to chant.

Marina was twirled around in Sirius' arms, and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"18!"

Lily wrapped James' jacket tighter around herself.

"17!"

Peter tried to ignore how happy Marina and Sirius looked.

"16!"

Remus laughed as Marlene and Dorcas wrapped him into an embrace, arms over shoulders and spilling drinks everywhere.

"15!"

Sirius winked at James, who flipped him off in return.

"14!"

"My Quidditch number!" Marina exclaimed with a smile. Sirius shook his head and chuckled softly as they continued watching the countdown.

"13!"

Priscilla sent Marina Potter a death glare, but she was too caught up in her new boyfriend to see it.

"12!"

Amos Diggory shouted at someone who'd been standing on the glass coffee table in fear of them breaking it.

"11!"

"Merlin, this countdown is slow!" someone exclaimed.

"10!"

Mary tried to ignore how happy Marina and Sirius looked.

"9!"

Dorcas brushed a piece of hair out of Marlene's face, and they shared a smile.

"8!"

Remus wondered if there would ever be someone for him to kiss on New Year's Eve.

"7!"

Lily wondered if James wore this jacket often. She decided it smelled like him.

"6!"

She blushed, feeling embarrassed by her own thoughts.

"5!"

Marlene wondered if life would always be this perfect.

"4!"

Diggory looked around for the fireworks that he needed to release at midnight.

"3!"

James wondered, just for a moment, what it would be like to kiss Lily Evans on New Year's Eve.

"2!"

"You and me?" Marina asked, pushing up onto her tiptoes.

"1!"

"You and me," Sirius met her halfway.

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!" the party chorused, and the sounds of random kisses and cheering echoed through the room.

Diggory lit his fireworks, and they shot around through his house, exploding in the high ceilings with the numbers 1977 and encouraging more cheers among the crowd:

Marina and Sirius pulled away, both thinking one thing: _this year was going to be the best they'll ever have._

✱✱✱✱✱

The group of four walked at staggered speeds in the middle of the empty street. Lily was still hammered, wondering how she managed to feel even more drunk after her time on the steps, but her dizzy head and unfocused eyes made for a difficult time putting one foot in front of the other. She certainly couldn't go home to her parents like this, and James and Marina quickly offered their home as a safe haven for the night.

Currently, they were drunkenly making their way back to the Potter house which sat over a mile's walk home. Marina was giggling from her place on Sirius' back as he carried her zigzagged through the street.

"Those two are..." Lily's sentence drifted away from her.

"You're damn right," James agreed.

James seemed to be the most sober, much to Lily's surprise, and she blamed the alcohol for her refusal to give him his jacket back.

"Are you feeling any better?" James asked when she remained silent.

Lily smiled, but shook her head. The action forced her to close her eyes, and she stumbled a bit. James caught her, and she met his eyes for just a moment.

"You..." Lily bit her tongue, shaking her head.

"I what?" James asked, not letting go of her as they stepped off a curb and up onto another part of a sidewalk.

"Remember what I said about—about stupid decisions?" Lily replied.

James hesitated, but he responded, "Yes."

Lily looked up at the moon again as it was starting to hide behind dark clouds rolling in. She'd always loved the night sky, especially at Hogwarts. As her gaze was directed up toward the sky, the cold breeze hit her face sharply.

"I was just going to tell you that your eyes were pretty," Lily mumbled, not taking her eyes off the moon. It was now almost completely hidden.

James' heart skipped a beat, and he hated that it did. The power this girl had over him was inimitable.

"T-Thanks," he stuttered. "Yours are, too."

Lily smiled at him, "Thanks, James."

The two walked in complete silence for the rest of the mile, occasionally using one another as support as they stepped around small obstacles. The only sound was the squeals and laughter of Marina as she and Sirius made their way back to the Potter house in their own way.

Lily sighed when she took one more look at the moon on her way inside, only to see that it had been completely hidden by the clouds. No light shining through at all.


	18. Tensions Rise

Lily scrambled to get her things packed into her trunk on the morning of January 2nd as her father started the family car to take her to King's Cross. The train left at eleven, (of course) and it was already almost ten-fifteen. The drive to King's Cross would be quick enough to get her there on time, but only if she rushed. She should've packed earlier, she knew, but the hangover she endured on the first of the month was enough to keep her in bed for hours even after she left the Potters'.

Lily had woken up early to leave the morning after Diggory's party, before even Sirius had dragged his hungover self out of bed. She had left a note for Marina, thanking her and James for giving her a place to stay for the night. Lily had dropped James' jacket beside it and made for the door, wishing she'd thought through her actions from the night before.

A wave of embarrassment coursed through her as she remembered the odd things she'd said on New Year's Eve, and she slammed her trunk closed. The sharp voice in protest that usually resulted from Lily making too much noise didn't come, and she did her best to shove the disappointment down next to the embarrassment, as far away from the front of her mind as possible.

Petunia moved out of the house in the middle of Lily's school term, and despite her appearance for Christmas holiday, she'd spent as little time at the Evans household as possible once Lily had arrived. As Petunia moved out, she'd gotten rid of all of Lily's old toys and childhood memories, not giving her a chance to look through them before "donating them" as Mrs. Evans had said. The act infuriated Lily more than she cared to admit, and the thought of it still brought tears to her eyes.

Still, she wouldn't let Petunia know she was bothered by her actions. Lily was stronger than that, and if Petunia didn't want to be in her life, even going so far as getting a flat and a job as a secretary in London and avoid her at Christmas, then she couldn't stop her, as much as it hurt her.

"Lily!" her mother called. "Your father is waiting, dear!"

Lily wrapped her Gryffindor scarf around her neck and shoved her wand into her bookbag which she tossed over her shoulder. Taking one last look around her room, she saw _Tales of Beedle the Bard_ on the table next to her bed. Making a grab for it, she tucked it into her bag and closed her bedroom door behind her.

Once they reached King's Cross, her father bid her goodbye from the car, kissing her on the forehead and saying he'd see her again once term ended. Lily waved as she rolled her trunk behind her, passing through the barrier and onto the platform. She checked all her boxes, placing her luggage on the compartment to be sent to her room once they arrived, and she stepped onto the train.

Marina, Sirius, and James were strolling through the train farther down the hallway, not seeing Lily before entering their usual compartment. Lily saw Marlene and Mary a moment later, chattering to themselves as they entered the compartment a few down. Lily started toward them, and they cheered when they saw her.

"Lily Evans," they laughed, and Marlene shook her head with a laugh. "Pretty sure I last saw you wearing James' jacket and stumbling down a street in the middle of the night."

The embarrassment reared its ugly head again, and Lily winced, "It was cold."

"And you were drunk," Mary agreed, her giggles echoing through the train.

Dorcas opened the compartment, joining them with a smirk, "You talking about Lily drunk?"

Marlene and Mary nodded eagerly, and Lily covered her face with her hands.

"I liked Drunk Lily," Dorcas joined in. "She was fun!"

Lily bit her lip, shaking her head, "She's unreliable."

"Uninhibited," Marlene corrected.

"Same difference," Lily frowned, and she looked out the window.

The girls seemed to notice her desire to change the subject, and they shifted their attention to more upbeat topics. Quidditch, new classes, and of course, the topic of Sirius and Marina took over the conversation, and Lily figured it was a good time to zone out. Reaching for her bag, she pulled out the copy of _Tales of Beedle the Bard_ and started to read, ridding herself of the anxious feelings that had begun to stir once more.

Down in the other compartment, Marina was arguing with Sirius over which of James' newfound Quidditch strategies from Lily's Christmas present would be the most useful against Hufflepuff in a few weeks and Slytherin in the last game of the year scheduled months away. James joined in every once in a while as backup for Sirius, much to Marina's disapproval.

"Just think—Hufflepuff's Beaters have nothing on us," Marina was so animated, gesturing wildly with her hands. Sirius shook his head already, despite agreeing with her on that particular fact. "If we do what Hoggins did in the 1617 Quidditch World Cup, the Chasers can—"

"You've already said this like twelve times!" Sirius protested. "Hoggins didn't even think about the Snitch, he got lucky that his Seeker was able to catch it without any Beaters to knock away any Bludgers!"

"That's what I'm saying," Marina emphasized. "If you guys hold off the Beaters instead, I'm free! I'll catch the Snitch easily."

James opened and closed his mouth, shrugging, "It makes sense, I suppose—"

"Thank you!"

"—but not against anyone besides Hufflepuff," James reminded her. "Slytherin would see what we're doing and there's no way Sirius or Olliver could leave you alone to catch the Snitch. You'd get crushed. Sirius is right, Marina."

Marina huffed and leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms. "Sirius doesn't know anything about the Snitch, and—oh, _don't start with that—_ "

Sirius looked pleased as he interrupted, "I caught 'the Snitch' just fine—"

"If you think about it, I was really the one who caught it," Marina corrected. Sirius frowned as he thought about it; it was hard to argue with that logic.

James looked between them, officially lost, "What the bloody hell are you talking about?"

"Sirius seems to like to refer to me as an object that needs to be won," Marina told her brother, and Sirius' jaw dropped in protest.

"What?" James turned to Sirius.

"She's making it seem way worse than it is—"

"I am _not_ a Snitch," Marina told him, one eyebrow raised as she dared him to argue.

Sirius sighed, leaning back in the seat across from her.

"I thought it was cute," he mumbled.

Marina couldn't help but laugh. She stood up from her seat beside James and sat down next to Sirius as he pouted, kissing him on the cheek.

"Nope," her voice was sweet despite the rejection it brought, and they both had to laugh.

"Merlin, where's Moony and Wormtail when you need them?" James crossed his arms.

The compartment door slid open, and they all turned to see who they expected to be Remus or Peter, but instead, Snape, Mulciber, Avery, and Nott stood in front of them, sneers on their faces.

"Perfect," Marina muttered, gritting her teeth.

"Heard a rumor that Black here had finally found a blood-traitor as disgusting as him to suck face with," Nott smirked. "Just had to see it for ourselves."

"Yes," Marina deadpanned. "See, this is what a relationship looks like. I understand that you wouldn't know—"

"Quiet, Potter," Snape spat, and the three turned to see him, venom in his voice. Usually, Snape remained silent as his friends made all the threats, but it seemed that something had changed. "You should just be thankful someone found your hideous face attractive in their own twisted way."

"Wanna talk about hideous faces?" Sirius retorted. "You really don't want to play that game, especially with us."

Snape took a small step forward, looking ready to fight, but James stood up to meet him, blocking his path. He didn't look intimidated by Snape in the slightest, but the same couldn't be said for the Slytherin. Picking a fight with them would be a mistake, and it seemed they all knew that.

"You should watch your mouth," James said evenly, daring him to speak.

"You should watch yours, Potter," Avery snapped from behind them. James settled his angry glare on him instead as he continued, "You might become our next target. Don't forget Hogsmeade so quickly."

Marina remembered the Death Eaters targeting Sirius that day, and the fear she felt when she realized why they had. Surely, the Potters had already been on the list of people against their Dark Lord, but if they were going around making threats like this... it seemed that the Gryffindors couldn't call them "wannabes" anymore.

"So, I guess you've finally committed," Sirius sounded disgusted. "Following around a psychopath must be rather fascinating for you lowlifes."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Avery retorted, but the smug smirk on his face told them everything they needed to know.

Marina felt fury erupt in her chest, and it bubbled out quicker than she anticipated, "If you want to threaten someone, try it elsewhere. Or, did you forget the last time I hexed you, Avery?"

The four looked at Marina's hand hovering over her pocket, her wand close enough to whip out a hex that'd leave them in the Hospital Wing for a couple days.

"You wouldn't, you'd get in trouble—"

"It's worth it," she interrupted. Marina dared them to test her.

James and Sirius backed her up, ready to grab their wands at a moment's notice. The Slytherins seemed to forget which house the three were from. Boldness usually prevailed in a standoff, and it was their saving grace once more.

"Come on," Mulciber said, leading the way away from the compartment and down the hallway.

Snape was the last to leave, sending a scathing look James' way as his cloak billowed behind him. The compartment door slid closed.

"Someday I'm gonna just..." Marina cut herself off, looking furious.

"Let me know when," Sirius agreed, and James nodded.

Remus and Peter arrived at staggered times a bit later, and the train started on the long journey back to Hogwarts. As the familiar scenery passed at a rapid pace outside the train window, Sirius could only think about what the recruitment of these Slytherins meant for his brother.

✱✱✱✱✱

Marina plopped into her seat for breakfast the next morning, glaring down at the schedule McGonagall had given her on her way in.

"History of Magic," she complained. "I didn't think Binns could possibly get any more boring, and I really didn't want the chance to find out."

Remus sat across from her, and he smiled encouragingly, "After lunch?"

She nodded and shoveled eggs onto her plate.

"Me too," he replied, and Marina's eyes brightened. "Thought I was the only one. Even Lily isn't taking it this term."

"What aren't I taking?" Lily asked, taking her bag off her shoulder as she sat down beside him. Mary, Marlene, and Dorcas were behind her, having gotten their schedules from McGonagall at the door, too. James gave her an awkward wave from the other side of Remus, but Lily didn't see it.

"You told me you weren't taking History of Magic this term," Remus repeated, mouth full of toast.

Lily snorted, "Yeah, I made sure of that after even I managed to fall asleep during one of his lectures. I'm taking Arithmancy again this term, though. Should be alright."

Sirius' ears perked up from his seat beside Marina, "You're taking Arithmancy?"

"Dorcas and Mary, too," Lily took an apple from the fruit basket.

"Cheers," Sirius nodded. "I'll sit with you, then."

Lily smiled, "As long as you don't cheat off me."

"Trust me, you might want to cheat off him," Marina chuckled, shaking her head, "Turns out, Sirius is pretty good with numbers. Nerd."

"Keep your _fucking_ voice down," Sirius whispered, looking over his shoulder. "I've got a reputation, you know."

The group laughed, and Marina rolled her eyes as he allowed her to steal a piece of bacon from his plate. Everyone separated into their different conversations and happily ate their food as they waited for breakfast to be over. She watched with a smile as Sirius defended his Arithmancy skills to the group. It hadn't been a completely easy transition from best friend to girlfriend, in Marina's opinion. Before they started dating, she would pull back on the amount of compliments she gave and the random impulses to touch him on the arm, kiss him on the cheek, or even wink at him across the room. Granted, sometimes she couldn't help herself, and as she looked back on being Sirius' best friend, Marina never realized how many times she had unconsciously refrained from acting this way around him. It was difficult to remember that, now, she could. Coming back to school added the obstacle of prying eyes, and she wondered how comfortable she was to put her heart on display, not just in front of Sirius or even her friends, but everyone.

It was only after everyone had stood up to leave for class that Marina realized she'd been zoning out.

"You coming, love?" Sirius was standing in front of her, bag slung over his shoulder. Marina smiled at the sight of him. His hair was falling past his shoulders, and she knew he'd be asking her to give him a haircut soon. He liked his hair long, but he needed a trim.

Sirius held out his hand, and Marina took it, not letting go even as they made their way out of the Great Hall.

Everyone had Charms as their first class, and they poured into the classroom all at once, taking up half of the seats in the room. Flitwick entered the room shortly after they all arrived, and class began after he ended the conversation he had with a student from his house. Marina watched as Benjy Fenwick took a seat across the classroom next to a couple other Ravenclaws, and he met her eyes.

Benjy smirked at her, nodding toward Sirius, and he even gave her a thumbs-up. Marina simply shook her head at him, but the smile that grew on her face only made Benjy more triumphant. A Ravenclaw, proud that he was right about something? Typical. Marina had to bite her lip to hold in a laugh, and she returned her attention to Flitwick.

"Welcome back, class!" his cheerful voice bounced off the walls of the room. "I hope you all had an exciting holiday."

Sirius turned to send Marina a smug smirk, and she winked back.

"Following recent events," Flitwick's tone changed, "I have integrated more defense and security charms into our curriculum for this term. I've collaborated with Professor Martin regarding your Defence Against the Dark Arts training to better prepare oneself for a sudden threat."

The room was quiet as they took in his words.

"It's becoming apparent that the world is becoming more unstable with the rise of some dark wizards, and as the older students in the school that will determine clearer career paths this term, it is necessary that we all learn how to better defend ourselves and others before heading out into the world after graduation," Flitwick concluded.

Marina felt a rush of pride for her Charms professor. He was a small man, but he was a very skilled wizard, and his words, though upsetting, provided her with a sense of hope. Hogwarts could teach her the skills she needed to succeed outside of school, and hopefully, how to help put an end to the dark wizards that threatened the lives of innocent people. As determination swelled inside her, her mind returned to what he said about career paths, and she wondered if Magical Law was still the right path for her.

Professor Flitwick spoke for another several minutes about the importance of Charms in regards to Defence Against the Dark Arts, and Marina paid very close attention to his words. Her friends were also more interested in what the man had to say than they usually would be; it seemed that he had instilled a sense of motivation in them all.

After doing an hour's long revision on their curriculum from first term, Flitwick began to bring class to an end, leaving the students with much to think about.

"And, if you are especially interested in advanced charms," Flitwick caught Marina's eye as her head perked up, "there are a few that far surpass any N.E.W.T. class taught here, including one of the most difficult charms: the Patronus charm. As being so difficult, it is the only charm known to work on dark creatures such as Lethifolds, and Dementors, the known guards of Azkaban prison. Let me know if you wish to know any more information about it!"

The man sounded too cheerful as he named such terrifying creatures, and a few of the students shuddered. Marina's eyes were wide, and she told herself that she'd look into learning this charm, if not for the off-chance a Lethifold tried to steal her from her bed in the middle of the night.

The bell rang, signaling the end of class, and the students stood to leave for their next class of the day.

"If a Lethifold appeared, I'd simply knock it on its arse," Sirius joked. "No need for a silly charm, just my brute strength. That should be enough."

Marina pulled herself out of her inside analysis of the day's lesson and turned to him incredulously, "You are absolutely ridiculous."

"Yeah, I know," he agreed. "So, you gonna try to learn the Patronus charm?"

"Of course," Marina swiftly replied. "If you're off fist-fighting a Lethifold, who's going to be the one saving your life?"

"Aw," Sirius put an arm around her, pulling her into him and kissing her on the head. "You _do_ love me."

"Oi, lovebirds!" Marlene's voice called ahead of them. "Defence next?"

The two nodded in response, and the Gryffindors moved as a pack toward the DADA classroom, only losing Dorcas and Mary from their group as they left for a different class. It seemed that they all shared a majority of classes this term, and the thought of everyone together brought a satisfied smile to Marina's face.

Up ahead, Lily walked with James and Remus, chatting casually to the boys, when she turned a corner and walked headfirst into another student. James, standing closest to her, jumped forward, catching her around the waist so she wouldn't fall, but her book bag fell off her shoulder and onto the ground.

"Oh, I'm sorry—" Lily apologized, looking up to see who she'd almost knocked over.

Snape stood in front of her, his eyes narrowed upon seeing them. Seeing James and Lily standing so close to one another made his face turn an ugly shade of furious red. Avery and Mulciber were farther down the hallway, watching the exchange and hurrying to catch up. It seemed they didn't want to miss a potential argument.

Lily awkwardly removed herself from James' hold, standing on her own two feet, and bent down to pick up her bookbag. Not wanting to be a part of starting a fight and not waiting for Snape to reply, she moved to go around him. Unfortunately for the group of Gryffindors, the other two Slytherins had arrived before they could leave. Peter's nervous shifting was the only sound in the corridor for a moment.

Unable to step past, Lily raised her eyeline to meet Snape's, "Excuse me, Severus."

James frowned at him, standing firmly behind Lily as she spoke.

"Better watch where you're going, mudblood," Snape retorted, his voice conveying anger despite Lily having done nothing wrong.

With that, James had his wand out, pointed right at Snape's face with a furious look in his eye. Snape looked more surprised by how quick it'd happened than that it happened at all, and Sirius and Remus jumped forward, ready to either back him up or pull him away before things got out of hand. Before they reached him, however, Lily had already pulled back on his free arm.

Her gaze wasn't on James. Her dark eyes were set on Snape, absolute revulsion shooting daggers into his skull.

"It's not worth it," she finally said. Her voice sounded indifferent, but her eyes told the true story. When James didn't move from his position, Lily tugged on his arm again, "James." He turned to look at her, the fury that'd risen to the surface in her defence still there. "He's not worth it."

Lily and James led the group as they walked around the three Slytherins, not even bothering to look back at them.

A cold laugh came from behind and Avery's voice followed, "He's right. You blood-traitors better watch yourselves."

"'Specially you, Black!" Mulciber joined in. "Your brother may be on our side, but he can't protect you from the rest of your family. Better watch your back, or else—"

Marina dropped her bag to the ground with a slam as she whirled around, preparing to launch herself at the boys. She was ready, fists flying, no hesitation. She'd show them how to watch their bloody backs—

Two arms caught her around the stomach, pulling her into their arms, and back down the hallway toward their DADA class.

"Sirius, _let me go!_ I just want to—"

"Me, too," Sirius sighed, putting the girl back on her feet. She almost took off back down the hallway, but she knew it wouldn't do anything to help. "But I can take their little comments about me and my stupid family, it's nothing new."

"They're talking about the attack on Hogsmeade when your psychotic cousin tried to kill you," Marina retorted, still seething. She gestured at Lily, walking ahead of them, "And Snape called Lily that wretched word, _again_. They deserve it."

"Something needs to change," James agreed, shaking his head. He sounded even angrier than Marina, if that were even possible. "As much as they deserve a chair to the face—"

"—or _twenty_ —"

"—if we do anything, we'd get in trouble," James finished.

Lily remained silent, still frowning.

Remus handed Marina her book bag, and she thanked him as they finally made it to DADA. They walked to their chosen seats, the mood significantly less upbeat than when the day started.

✱✱✱✱✱

The rest of the day went by in a blur, but Marina was able to check out a book from the library after dinner that included details about the Patronus charm. It included its limited history along with how to perform it. She'd just read past the history of its inventor, and was finally to the part of the book that described the spell when the sound of footsteps thundering down the stairs interrupted her. She noticed she was the only one left in the Common Room as she looked up to see who was making all the noise.

James held the Marauder's Map and his Invisibility Cloak in his hands, staring at her with wide eyes, "It's the Slytherins, they're all going to meet again right now."

Marina checked her watch, "Shit, it's already past midnight? I didn't even notice—"

"The others are asleep," James interrupted, already putting on the cloak. "This is our chance! You coming?"

Marina didn't hesitate as she jumped up from the armchair and closed her book.

They quietly made their way out of the portrait hole, using Marina's book on the Patronus charm to keep it cracked open enough for no one to notice on patrols, but wide enough so they'd be able to get in without waking the Fat Lady's sleeping image.

James and Marina snuck through the castle, dodging Mrs. Norris once on the fourth floor staircase before finally reaching the second floor classroom where the Slytherins were congregating.

As a seventh year Slytherin who Marina didn't recognize opened the door to enter, the twins jumped after them quick enough to make it through the doorway before the door was closed again. James pointed at the corner of the room where they wouldn't be accidentally run into, and they moved quickly and quietly out of the Slytherins' way. With the Invisibility Cloak just barely covering both of them, they stood, backs against the wall.

The door opened a few times after they'd come in, and Snape was one of the last to show. He sat near the back, looking more miserable than usual. There were approximately fifteen people in the room, all Slytherins, when Nott decided to speak up.

"Welcome back," he began, his voice authoritative. "I trust that your holiday consisted of reviewing the magical concepts we discussed in our previous meetings."

Most of the Slytherins exchanged guilty looks, and Nott looked impatient.

"The Dark Arts is not something one can learn as easily as a Levitating charm," Nott snapped. "If you are serious about joining the Dark Lord's ranks after graduation, you must be prepared."

James and Marina were not shocked to hear his words, and they wore matching looks of disgust as they looked on at the group.

The door opened, revealing Regulus Black. He looked tired, exhausted even, but he glided smoothly through the doorway and took a seat, only a few feet from where James and Marina were hidden. The twins frowned at Sirius' brother, both wishing that things could be different.

Nott looked annoyed by the interruption, but he didn't comment on it, and he moved to continue.

"Some of us are more prepared than others," Mulciber's ugly face twisted into a proud smirk as he spoke, nudging Avery. "We've already been inducted."

"Just because your parents introduced you to the Dark Lord doesn't mean you're automatically inducted," a seventh year, Wilkes, sneered. Her dark-painted lips pulled back into a smirk, "You heard the deal. You have to earn it."

"Yes, we're all very aware," Nott gave Mulciber and Avery an annoyed look. The other two looked scolded, but they nodded in agreement. "They'll do it soon."

Wilkes looked the picture of ease as she shrugged, leaning her back against her seat with one of her feet propped up in front of her.

"Seeing as most of you didn't bother to practice, I think we'll end this meeting early," Nott crossed his arms. One Slytherin yawned in response, and he frowned. "We'll check progress in a week. If we have any hope of getting to Unforgiveables, you'll find some way to manage this and schoolwork."

The Slytherins stood to leave, looking happy at the prospect of getting more sleep. On Regulus' way out, Nott and Avery stepped in front of him, stopping him. Wilkes hadn't moved, looking amused. Snape hadn't left either, crossing his arms as he stood next to Mulciber.

"Why were you late, Black?" Nott asked.

Regulus' hands were in his pockets, and he rolled his eyes. Marina was struck by how much the action reminded her of Sirius.

"Don't think you have the right to speak to me like that," Regulus responded. "I don't care if you're older than me, don't forget that your family has no status with the Dark Lord at the moment."

"We do—" Nott regained his composure, glaring at the younger Slytherin. "Just don't be late."

"I'll do as I please," Regulus responded, and as he passed, he looked Nott dead in the eyes. "And if you want to remain in charge during these little meetings, you'll leave me alone."

James and Marina exchanged looks with wide eyes. It seemed that Regulus was a bit more involved with the Dark Arts than they had originally thought. Wilkes laughed as Nott fumed, watching Regulus as he left.

Before he could leave the room, Nott called out from behind him, "Careful, Black. I'm sure your family wouldn't be pleased to know that you've been courting a half-blood girl."

Regulus froze. Slowly, he turned. Anger was evident on his face, but he kept it contained, stalking back toward him.

"Do _not_ threaten me," he said. His voice was calm, and it brought shivers to Marina's skin. He was fifteen, and yet, he managed to make even Wilkes lose her amused grin. "You do not scare me. In fact, you are nothing. Remember that if you decide to speak to my family about shit you don't understand." Regulus didn't stutter. "Try this again, and I will kill you."

With that, he was gone.

The room was silent for a moment after he left, and Nott looked as if he might honestly piss his pants. Wilkes was the first to leave, checking both ways in the hallway and charming herself with Disillusionment before leaving. Snape followed, and Nott finally unfroze.

Before he could leave, Mulciber clapped a hand on his shoulder, "Don't worry, Avery and I will get it done."

"Yeah!" Avery chimed in. "We practiced over break, even if they didn't."

"Thanks, guys," Nott replied, nodding once.

He left the room with the other two on his heels. Their footsteps got quieter as they got farther away, and Marina and James finally moved from their place on the wall.

They didn't dare speak until they returned to the Common Room, and Marina clutched her Patronus book to her chest as they made it through the portrait hole.

"What the hell are they going to do?" James whisper-yelled, gesturing wildly with his hands. "None of this can be good, especially if they're talking about practicing the Dark Arts!"

"I don't know," Marina shook her head, eyes still wide. "But, Regulus..."

James nodded, "That was insane. He was so..."

"Yeah," Marina sighed. She checked her watch. It was half past one o'clock now, and they still had class in the morning. "We should get to bed. We can talk about this with the rest in the morning."

James nodded again in agreement, "Yeah."

Marina left her brother at the split between boys' and girls' dormitory staircases, giving him a wave. That wasn't exactly the night she planned on having. She thanked Merlin that her brother was there with her the whole time.

"Try to get some sleep now, alright?" he shot her a look.

She could only shrug, "I'll do my best."

✱✱✱✱✱

Sirius was the first to breakfast again the next day. Usually, he'd wait for Marina and the others, but that routine was quickly changed by Marina herself. She slept in, and if Sirius wanted to eat his breakfast without scarfing it down in five minutes like she did, then she said that he needed to go down when he was ready. The boys always got there a bit after him, and Marina was always last, bringing the girls with her.

He'd just made it into the corridor outside the Great Hall when he saw a blonde girl reading a book on one of the benches outside the door. She lifted her eyes to meet his, and Sirius recognized her: Anastasia Claire. He nodded once, not really having anything truly against her, and went to enter the Great Hall, but something stopped him.

Anastasia closed her book and placed it in her bag upon seeing him. She stood, jerking her head to the side to beckon him to follow her, and disappeared around the nearest corner. Sirius' eyes widened, and he looked around for any prying eyes before following her.

Anastasia was standing with her arms crossed around the corner, and she practically winced when Sirius came into view again.

"What do you want?" he asked, his voice a bit sharp as he addressed her.

The girl's eyes narrowed, but she spoke, her voice softer than Sirius expected, "It's your brother."

"Yeah, I figured," Sirius said.

Anastasia looked down, "He's... worrying me."

Sirius didn't say anything, waiting for her to continue.

"Look, I know you don't want anything to do with him," she sighed, "but I just thought, maybe, if you talked to him..."

"He doesn't want to talk to me," Sirius scoffed, shaking his head.

"He does," Anastasia shot him a look. He fidgeted under her gaze; her blue, almost grey eyes almost pierced through him. Sirius felt guilt swell inside him, and the girl continued, stronger this time, "He's not sleeping, he's focusing entirely on school as though that'll make the Dark Lord's wishes disappear—"

"'The Dark Lord'?" Sirius' eyebrows raised. "I never would've pegged you for a supporter."

"I'm not," Anastasia snapped, the intensity of her words shut him up. "Regulus is conflicted, and he didn't want to join, but—"

"He's already got the mark, hasn't he?" Sirius interrupted. His voice was dull, and he felt panic wash over him as the girl nodded in response. He clenched his fists, shaking his head, "I bet my parents are so proud. He's got to be the youngest Death Eater they have."

"But I can see how it's hurting him," Anastasia said. "He used to talk about you, you know. At first, it was all about how you were a disgrace to your family, but I knew it was something more. He thinks you've betrayed him, leaving him alone at home. But if you just talk to him, I know that you two can figure something out together. And, maybe—"

"Maybe he'll be strong enough to get out?" Sirius finished.

Anastasia looked away, not answering.

Eventually, he nodded, "I can try."

The girl's eyes widened, "Really?"

Sirius watched her for a moment. The hope that he once felt for his brother, though he thought it was gone, had suddenly been reignited inside him. All because of this Slytherin girl.

His lips quirked into a knowing smirk, "Do you love him?"

"Yes," Anastasia replied. No hesitation, and she steeled her gaze on him. "Don't you?"

Sirius was quiet, but he nodded. Regulus was his brother. What was it that Marina said? _Family is family._

"Thank you," Anastasia finally said. She turned to leave, but Sirius grabbed her arm, smiling softly at the girl who was looking out for her brother when he didn't.

"No, thank you," he corrected. Anastasia smiled for the first time since he'd ever spoken to her, and Sirius continued, "You know, whatever this is, I support it. You're good for him."

Her smile wavered, "If only I weren't a half-blood, right?"

"If he really loves you too," Sirius shook his head. "It won't matter. Nothing else will matter."

Anastasia sighed, eyes misty, "I really hope you're right."

Without another word, she left Sirius alone in the corridor.


	19. Attack of the Slytherins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Brief mention/suggestion of sexual assault. Reader discretion advised.

Mary didn't know how it happened.

She left Herbology later than the rest of the class, talking to Professor Sprout about the details of their assignment. As Mary stepped out of the greenhouses, she decided to take the long way back to the dormitories; it was a nice day out, despite the cold season. She'd wrapped her scarf around her neck and set off across the grounds as she sulked to herself for the umpteenth time in the past week over Sirius and Marina.

She must not have been looking where she was going. It'd been a habit for her, watching her feet as she walked and avoiding the eyes of people coming from the opposite direction of her. It was as quick as blinking, how fast the curse was cast.

One word, and she didn't feel anything except numb. A dazed sort of smile fell across her face, and the sound of laughter rang in her ears. Not a happy kind of laughter; a horrible, almost predatory sound. She caught glimpses of the spellcasters, but it was their voices that Mary was able to almost recognize. Mulciber mumbled something she didn't fully comprehend, and her eyes shut tightly as though they were of their own mind. She didn't try to open them again, but she knew she couldn't even if she tried.

Mary's body was jerked around, almost as though she were dancing to music that wasn't playing. The laughter sounded again, and this time, Avery's voice chanted another order that she could feel herself obeying without hesitation.

 _What an interesting spell_ , her entranced self mused. She wondered for a moment if she should feel scared, or even try to fight it. The dreamy voice in her head told her that everything was all right.

Although she didn't feel anyone's hands on her, she felt as though she were pushed to the ground. Mary laid there against the snowless, hard ground and waited to regain control of her limbs again. She wondered if she ever would. A calm curiosity washed through her, though she remained relaxed; what if she couldn't control her body ever again? At the thought, she tried to move her legs. Her toes only twitched.

Mary was vaguely aware of two hands pulling at the fabric of her uniform skirt, but she paid no mind. All of her anxiety and feelings of responsibility had disappeared—she felt weightless. The thought of Sirius and Marina together had upset her before, but now, she couldn't even remember why she was jealous. She wondered why she felt so at peace, surely this wasn't normal.

The cold hands against her body felt uncomfortable, Mary decided. She didn't like the intensity with which they moved; they were interrupting her good dream.

"Nik, someone's coming!" Avery's voice was an urgent whisper, but Mary thought it sounded like he was speaking underwater.

The hands were gone as quickly as they had moved across her skin, and Mary felt as though she might be alone. After a minute, or several, her eyes sprang open.

Mary's eyes were unfocused, but not in a trance anymore. They were wild, panicking—mortified. She looked down at herself, laying on the Hogwarts Grounds just outside of the Forbidden Forest, and she felt the overwhelming urge to vomit.

"Mary?" someone asked. Marina, her roommate.

Hearing her name, the girl burst into tears. Waves of horror washed over her, and she couldn't form a single word to explain herself.

Marina's eyes were wide, and she knelt down next to Mary, "What happened? Are you hurt? Who—"

"I-I-I—" Mary shook her head back and forth, and she sobbed harder.

Marina didn't know what to do. Mary's robes were disheveled, and she still hadn't moved from her spot sitting on the ground. The girl had looked petrified until Marina had spoken; something must have happened to her.

"Mary, I need you to stand up," Marina wrapped her arm around her, trying to pull her to her feet.

Mary shook her head again, "I-I need—I need—"

"I'm taking you to the Hospital Wing, you need to be checked over," Marina knew she wouldn't want to go, but there was truly no choice in this matter. "Were you hexed? Did someone stun you or something?"

Mary's sobs ceased for just a moment for her to stare at Marina with a pale face and wide eyes. She shook her head slowly, and she whispered, "Some—something."

"Who?" Marina pushed, but Mary had begun sobbing again.

They'd almost made it to the front entrance when Marina remembered the Quidditch practice she'd been heading to. She ignored the thought, pushing it to the back of her brain; it didn't matter. Mary needed help.

As Mary shook with fear, crying into the other girl's shoulder, Marina ran through the list of possible suspects that could've left her roommate so horrified right outside of the Forbidden Forest. With a start, she felt her body freeze right before climbing the one staircase to the Hospital Wing.

The meeting just two days before with all the Slytherins. How could she have forgotten? Mulciber and Avery said they were going to do something and get "it" done this week. If Mary was saying that she wasn't hexed or stunned, and that it was "something" else... Someone could've used Dark Magic on her, and remembering the meeting, that was exactly what Nott had told them to practice. The two Slytherins had looked so proud, even saying they had practiced over break.

Marina felt her heart lurch, and now, they'd done it. And whatever they'd done, it left Mary in such a mortified state that Marina didn't even want to think what could've been done to her.

Mary's sobs had turned into silent tears streaming down her face. Looking at her, Mary's face resembled that of someone who'd watched their loved one suffer right in front of them. Marina could only imagine what horrors she'd been subjected to at the hands of someone practicing the Dark Arts.

Marina squeezed her shoulder, and she walked even faster to the Hospital Wing. Fury ignited in her chest.

They were going to pay for this.

Madam Pomfrey looked shaken as Marina explained to her how she found Mary on the grounds, and Mary looked thankful that Marina was doing all the talking. Her body was still shaking. She remembered the feeling of being helpless, unable to move, and how his hands moved... they went _everywhere_ , and she couldn't even open her mouth to scream.

"She hasn't really, er, spoken since it happened," Marina said. "I just want to make sure she's not still cursed—"

"You think this girl was cursed?" Pomfrey asked, eyes wide.

Marina bit her tongue, trying to contain her anger, "Yes, I do."

Madam Pomfrey didn't speak, pressing her lips into a thin line as she gestured for Marina to help Mary to the nearest bed. The Hospital Wing was empty, and Marina thought it was the best for Mary that it was.

"I will have to inform the Headmaster about this," Pomfrey said, "but I will perform some quick charms to make sure that she is all right. You may go for now, Ms. Potter."

Mary's eyes turned panicked again, looking to Marina for help.

"Actually, I think I'll stay," Marina replied, giving Mary a small smile in support.

Mary couldn't manage one in response, but Marina knew she was grateful that she didn't leave her. She didn't know exactly what happened to Mary out there, but it was certainly enough to scar her for life. The fiery determination flared through her again, wanting justice for what'd happened. Marina took a seat in the chair next to Mary's bed, and she took her hand.

It would just have to wait.

✱✱✱✱✱

Sirius left Quidditch practice with James, both confused as to why Marina would skip a practice so close to the next game. Marlene had gone off in search of her in the girls' dorms, but the boys went straight for the map.

"What's wrong?" Remus looked up from his book as they entered their dorm. Peter wasn't there, probably already waiting for them at dinner.

"Marina skipped practice," Sirius replied. He tried to mask his concern, but neither boy was convinced. James pulled out the Marauder's Map and said the words.

"Why's she in the Hospital Wing?" James asked, squinting at the piece of parchment.

Sirius frowned, "And with Mary?"

"Wait, she's leaving," James said, pointing. "She must not be hurt."

Sure enough, Marina Potter's dot on the map was slowly moving out of the Hospital Wing and headed down the corridor. Sirius breathed a sigh of relief; she was fine. Mary's dot remained still, and Sirius frowned. Mary must've been the one in need of Pomfrey's assistance.

Without meaning to, Sirius' eyes scanned the map for another name. His talk with Anastasia was still fresh in his mind. Regulus was occupying a bench in an empty first floor corridor, all alone. He frowned and memorized his location.

"You go find Marina," Sirius told James. "I'll meet you all at dinner."

"All right," James' eyebrows furrowed, but he didn't question him.

Sirius left the dorms in pursuit of his brother, trying to figure out what to say to him. He honestly had no idea. Last time, Regulus had barely let him speak before dismissing him entirely, saying that he was better off without him. Sirius knew he was hurt that he left him alone at home despite the fact that they hadn't really been close since Regulus came to Hogwarts.

When Regulus' perfectly cut black hair came into view, Sirius paused for a moment. Why was he nervous? Ridding himself of the thought, he pushed forward, and Regulus' gaze rose from the book he was reading. It seemed that he and Anastasia were more similar than Sirius originally thought.

"Reading out here?" Sirius cleared his throat. "Why not your Common Room?"

Regulus did not reply, staring blankly at his brother.

"Look," Sirius sighed, "I just wanted to talk... again."

Regulus frowned, "I don't."

Sirius should've been expecting that.

"I know you took the mark," he whispered. It didn't matter how quiet his voice was, Regulus heard.

He still didn't say anything, forcing his eyes down. Sirius took a few steps closer.

"Whatever they made you do—"

Sirius was interrupted by a dry laugh coming from Regulus' lips. The bitter sound reached Sirius' ears and made him wince.

"You don't care," Regulus spoke. "You lost the right to care when you left me alone with them. Just because I played the part better than you, it doesn't mean that I wanted... _this_."

He was shaking, his anger rolling off him in waves. Sirius couldn't speak, eyes wide.

"You were a coward," Regulus spat, getting to his feet. "They told you to get the mark, and you ran. You weren't strong enough, you didn't fight. You couldn't. Not for yourself." Sirius was horrified to see tears welling in his eyes. "Not for me."

"Reg—"

"You think I wanted this?" he pulled up his robe sleeves to show the ugly symbol of the Dark Lord. Sirius didn't spare it even one look, not removing his gaze from his brother's distraught face. "I wanted to run. I wanted to be like you, Sirius. But, I can't. If you weren't strong enough to fight back... how could I ever be?"

Sirius grasped Regulus' arms, "You can."

Regulus tore them away, "I can't."

"You can," he said again. "If you just leave, we can find a way. You could even stay with me at the Potter's. Everything will be fine—"

"It won't," Regulus was certain. "It's too late."

"It's never too late," Sirius shook his head. He was frantic, trying to get his brother to understand. This was all he ever wanted for Regulus: to finally escape. "If you're worried about Anastasia, she can come with."

Regulus took a step back from his brother, confusion on his face. When he met Sirius' eyes, betrayal flashed through them.

"Anastasia talked to you, didn't she?" he asked. He shook his head with a frown, "That's why you're here, isn't it? She asked you to talk to me..."

"She cares about you," Sirius seemed to realize he made a mistake.

Regulus shook his head faster, "You're not here for me. You're here for a favor. I should've known you wouldn't come back for me. You didn't come back for me."

Sirius felt as though knives were stabbing deep into his heart. His little brother... and all this time, he thought he was just like their parents. How could he have screwed up so badly? And now, it was too late.

"Sirius?" a voice asked behind him.

It was Marina, and she looked uncertain. She didn't know what to do, seeing Sirius and Regulus in such an intense conversation. She wondered for a moment if she should've left them alone. Maybe then she could've prevented what happened next.

Regulus had his wand out immediately, looking shaken. He didn't resemble the calm, self-assured little brother that Sirius knew from the years before. He looked more like he did before they had gone to Hogwarts, he looked more like the little brother that Sirius had loved.

Then, his uncertain, childlike look vanished, replaced by the hysterical kind of panic that one would see in a cornered animal. He pointed his wand and shot a hex Marina's way.

The girl dove out of the way, eyes wide, but she managed to dodge the spell at the last second.

"Regulus!" Sirius exclaimed, but his brother had turned on him.

Regulus shot a spell his way, but it missed by a long shot. Sirius looked over his shoulder, hoping that Marina was all right, and he reached for his own wand.

"Found a couple Gryffindors to hex, Black?" a gleeful voice asked. " _Impedimenta!_ "

Sirius ducked under another hex and jumped behind the same corner that Marina was hidden behind.

"What the hell is going on?" she asked. Sirius noted that she had her wand ready, too.

Sirius peeked his head out to see that Nott, Avery, Mulciber, and Snape had arrived and were standing behind Regulus with anticipatory smirks on their faces. It was clear that they were preparing for a fight, and they were more than happy with their odds.

"We can't take them all, can we?" Marina asked, gritting her teeth.

"Depends on how determined we are, love," Sirius responded, but he was less than optimistic. He tried not to let her know how much the conversation with Regulus had shaken him.

Sirius jumped when a hand slammed into his shoulder.

"Good thing we had the map," James said. "Thought we were meeting at dinner, mate."

James and Remus had appeared beside them, looking a bit out of breath. It looked like they had rushed to get there; they must've known something like this was going to happen.

"Can we take them all now?" Remus asked. "Because I'm in the mood to put someone in the Hospital Wing."

Sirius wasn't sure he'd ever seen Remus so determined. The four had their wands drawn, knowing exactly what they were getting into.

"Just gonna run away?" Avery's irritating voice called out.

"I thought Gryffindors were supposed to be brave," Mulciber taunted. Avery snorted beside him.

The boys looked furious, and they all moved to get the fight started, but Marina stopped them.

"Wait, there's something you should know," Marina grabbed Sirius' arm before he could step out from behind the wall. "Mary's in the Hospital Wing. She was attacked, and after the meeting the other day..." Marina clenched her wand tighter in her fist. "It was Mulciber and Avery, I just know it."

Sirius felt more anger flare in his chest, "Then we can dedicate this to her."

"For Mary," James agreed.

"We're gonna make them pay," Marina's voice was so low it could've been a growl.

"C'mon, you blood-traitors," Nott called out, his voice carrying through the corridor. "We're waiting."

The four exchanged a look, and Remus gestured toward the corridor, "Lead the way, Vixey."

Marina took Sirius' hand in hers, squeezing it once, and they stepped out from behind the corner. When the five Slytherins saw that James and Remus had joined them, their resolve fell a bit, but after a bit of math, they regained their confidence. It was still five versus four. The Gryffindors didn't seem to care.

Sirius caught his brother's eye; Regulus had backed against the wall, not standing with the other Slytherins. He was regaining his composure, replacing his panic with anger. He avoided Sirius' gaze, focusing his newfound fury on the girl he already tried to hex. Sirius noticed Snape; apparently, seeing James step out from behind the wall had ignited the same kind of fury in his eyes.

As quick as blinking, Snape's anger got the best of him, and he was the first to point his wand, sending a nasty hex toward James that he easily blocked.

"Gonna have to try harder than that, Snivellus," James glared.

The rest of the Slytherins took that as a cue to let chaos break out in the first floor corridor. Nott aimed his spells toward Sirius as Marina sent unrelenting hexes after Mulciber standing next to him. Remus took on Avery, and it was clear after only a few seconds that Avery's spellcasting was no match for the Gryffindor's. Sirius almost thought he heard a scoff escape Remus' lips as he dodged Avery's advances as easily as breathing. He looked past Nott for a second to see Regulus standing still, not eager to join the fight.

With his short distraction, Nott managed to catch Sirius' left shoulder with a stinging hex, and pain shot through his arm. Nott had his full attention once more, and Sirius, standing shoulder to shoulder with Marina, fired back with more determination than he thought he had.

James jumped out of the way, unable to deflect Snape's hex. He was sweating now, as was his opponent. James couldn't figure out why Snape seemed to be even angrier with him than usual. They hated each other, but it seemed that the Slytherin was finally down with murder. James deflected another curse, a cutting curse, it seemed, and his suspicions of homicide were validated. At the very least, Snape really wanted James to hurt. James shot a stunning spell back toward him, and he wondered when they all decided to hate each other so much.

Marina glared at Mulciber as he tried to disarm her by any means necessary. Despite Mulciber's usual thick-headedness, he was quite well-versed in destructive spells. But, Marina's charms were still superior. Mulciber shot three in a row, each of which Marina disregarded with her Protego, flicking them away with her wand.

"What the hell did you do to Mary?" she spat, stepping closer and blocking Mulciber's latest attempt to hex her.

Mulciber had the nerve to laugh, "Nothing a mudblood like her didn't already deserve."

Marina had heard enough. Without another word in response, she threw a particularly powerful stunning spell Mulciber's way. He tried to cast a shield, but Marina's spell was too strong. It cut through his lackluster spellcasting, and Mulciber was thrown backward, sliding on his back until he was stopped by the hard wall behind him. Marina smirked, _Finally_.

She only had a moment to feel victorious as she was hit with a curse from the boy resigned to the wall.

" _Oscausi!_ " Regulus said, and Marina wasn't prepared to shield it.

Her hands flew to her face, only to feel that her mouth had simply disappeared. She had no lips to speak, and her eyes narrowed in anger, glaring at Regulus. His eyes glinted dangerously, and he jumped into the fight, ready to duel with a smirk on his face.

It was clear that he thought that Marina wouldn't be able to cast or counter spells without the use of her voice. He was wrong.

When Marina sent a non-verbal hex toward him with perfect accuracy, Regulus' smirk melted away, and he scrambled to dodge it.

Sirius caught a glimpse of Regulus stepping away from the wall to hex Marina, and his own anger flared. Sirius just came here to try to help; as much as he'd been itching to curse the wannabe Death Eaters, this wasn't what he wanted to happen between him and his brother. Despite Marina's lack of a mouth, she managed to hold her own against Regulus, and Sirius felt a rush of pride for his girlfriend.

Snape was becoming more and more aggressive with his duelling, and James was having trouble resisting his urge to tap into the more harmful spells he knew he could use in response. James had just deflected another cutting curse from hitting his face, and he wondered what would've happened if it managed to slice through his throat.

" _Sectumsempra!_ " Snape roared, coming at James in a fury.

James' eyes widened. He lurched out of the way, barely missing the blast of light. He had no idea what that spell did; it had to be Dark Magic, or maybe even of Snape's own invention. What the hell had he just tried on him?

Snape wasn't done showcasing it, however, and he raised his arm to cast it again, " _Sectumsempra!_ "

This time, James didn't need to block it. A flash of dark red hair and a spark of a shield spell allowed James to escape finding out the hard way the effect of Snape's curse. Lily didn't look at James, instead focusing on Snape.

Snape looked shocked, and he took a step back. Lily didn't hesitate for a second as she sent a Body-Binding spell toward the boy. Snape fell to the ground with a thud, as stiff as a board. She looked down at him in disdain before holding a hand out for James to take.

Lily helped him to his feet, and he ran a hand through his hair, "Thanks, Evans."

Lily didn't get the chance to respond as the sound of several footsteps moving rapidly toward them. James knew exactly who it was before they even turned the corner into the corridor.

"We're fucked," he muttered under his breath. Lily shared his sentiments, cursing quietly to herself as McGonagall and Slughorn, accompanied by many younger students hoping to see something interesting, appeared in front of them.

Upon seeing the teachers, both Nott and Avery ceased their duelling, resigned to glaring at their opponents. Regulus didn't seem to care as much, and he took advantage of Marina looking over her shoulder at the professors to send another curse her way. Sirius intercepted it with furious eyes. He launched himself in his brother's direction, but Marina latched onto his arms and pulled him back with all of her strength.

"Cursing someone not once but twice while their back was turned!" Sirius spat, shaking his head. "Maybe you do belong with them after all!"

Marina felt her muscles straining under the weight of holding Sirius back. Regulus' hate-filled eyes finally looked away from his brother, unable to see his brother's disgust for him any longer.

"What in the name of Godric Gryffindor is going on here?" McGonagall asked. Her stern voice was higher than usual, letting the group know just how furious she was.

Sirius didn't even look at her. He placed his hands on Marina's cheeks, asking without really asking if she was okay. He frowned at her non-verbal response, but her lack of a mouth made it difficult for her to respond any other way. His thumbs brushed over where her lips would've been, and Marina couldn't help but wince. Sirius turned to McGonagall when he determined that Marina was alright; his arm still hurt, but he knew the Stinging spell would wear off soon enough.

"Duelling on school grounds?" McGonagall put her hands on her hips. "And from my own house? I ought to—"

"They hexed us first, professor," James' voice was calm considering the circumstances.

"Well, in that case," McGonagall fixed her stern gaze on him, "you can be the first to explain this to Professor Dumbledore. All of you, to the Headmaster's Office, now."

Marina threw up her arms in exasperation, gesturing at her face. Professor McGonagall pulled out her wand and pointed it at the girl's mouth, performing the counter-curse with ease. Marina wet her lips and opened her mouth, preparing to launch into a speech in their defense, but the Gryffindor Head of House didn't even allow her the chance to speak.

"One word from you, Ms. Potter, and I'll return you to your previous precarious position," she snapped.

Marina remained silent.

"Professor," James spoke, wincing at the look on McGonagall's face, "Lily wasn't a part of this, she just got here and shielded me from the last curse, she shouldn't be—"

"Very chivalrous of you, Mr. Potter," McGonagall interrupted, "but as Mr. Snape is unable to move from his current position it seems that Ms. Evans cast a bit more than a shielding spell."

"But—"

"James, it's fine," Lily shook her head.

"With me, now," McGonagall ordered. She turned to Slughorn, who'd been silent the entire time, "Take your students to the Hospital Wing. Albus will be there to deal with them soon enough."

Slughorn nodded, and he fixed his students with a disappointed stare, shaking his head and tutting as he worked on getting them to Madam Pomfrey.

Aside from Regulus' curse on Marina and a few bruises, the Gryffindors were all right. The feeling of victory would have to wait until after their punishment was distributed, but looking around at his friends, Sirius knew that the duels that had occured, however immature they might've been, they were necessary.

The war on the outside was taking its toll on everyone, and it was clear on which side they all stood.

✱✱✱✱✱

"Thank you for escorting the students to my office, Professor McGonagall," Dumbledore nodded to the woman and turned to the group of five with a twinkle in his eye. "I will ensure they are properly dealt with."

James and Lily exchanged a look. Dumbledore didn't look nearly as bothered by the situation as McGonagall had, in fact, he looked almost... proud? Surely, that wasn't the case.

McGonagall seemed to have caught on to the headmaster's mood, and she sent him a stern look that he pretended not to notice. The woman looked exasperated as she left the Headmaster's Office with her cloak billowing behind her.

"Please, sit," Dumbledore gestured to five seats moving magically to be set up in front of his desk.

They sat.

"Now, could one of you explain why there are five Slytherins currently occupying beds in the Hospital Wing?" the man asked calmly.

"Not all of them..." Marina mumbled under her breath, arms crossed over her chest. Remus scoffed, and James smacked his arm with the back of his hand.

"Regulus cast the first hex," Sirius said. His voice sounded devoid of emotion. "We were just protecting ourselves."

"I see," Dumbledore mused. His eyes flicked from Sirius' face to Lily's. "These four, I've grown quite used to causing the occasional bout of mischief across the castle, but I can say that I am surprised to see you here, Ms. Evans. Is what Mr. Black here saying, true?"

Lily sat up straighter in her chair. The other four leaned forward in their chairs, waiting for her to speak.

"Yes, professor," Lily explained. "I'm a prefect, you see, and so is Remus. We simply wanted to make sure that everyone ended up safe. No truly harmful spells were cast, at least not from our side." She took a moment to think, and Dumbledore cocked his head to the side. "Though, there was a spell that Sev—er, Snape—used that I'm not sure that I knew. It sounded... a bit like... well—"

"Dark Magic," James finished. His mouth was set into a frown, and Lily slowly nodded her head in agreement.

"I am quite aware of Mr. Snape's extra-curricular activities," Dumbledore's face remained impassive, "and you all should feel quite satisfied to know that I am keeping a close eye on it, along with all those interested in such things."

"That didn't do Mary any good!" Marina spoke harshly, unable to control her tone.

Dumbledore turned his gaze on her, "I hear that Ms. Macdonald is recovering well—"

"She shouldn't have to recover at all!" Marina interrupted, getting to her feet. "Mulciber and Avery—they said they were going to do something like this, and if you're keeping an eye on them like you say you are, then you should've been able to stop it!"

The headmaster remained silent. James, Lily, and Remus were watching Marina with horrified looks on their faces, obviously concerned for Marina's sanity; she had pretty much yelled at the headmaster of Hogwarts. Sirius couldn't help the small uptick in his lips, pride lighting up his eyes.

"I assure you, the situation will be dealt with, Ms. Potter," Dumbledore's voice was as calm as ever. If Marina's outburst affected him, he didn't show it. "It will certainly not happen again."

Marina sat back down in her chair, still upset, but somewhat reassured. Sirius reached for her hand, and their interlocked fingers calmed her down a bit more.

"Unfortunately, duelling on school grounds is forbidden," Dumbledore addressed the entire group. "I must provide some form of punishment."

Marina rolled her eyes, but Lily, seated to her left, felt her heart speed up. She'd never really been in trouble before. She cast a look at the troublemaking group to her right and wondered if they even felt nervous about this kind of thing anymore. Lily supposed not.

"Detention, a month starting this Monday," Dumbledore spoke sadly, as though disappointed that he had to give any at all. "Of course, you're exempt on the Quidditch game day, and it will not interfere with practice or prefect rounds."

The four detention experts groaned synchronously, and Lily's eyes grew wide. In all honesty, she was just happy that they weren't expelled, but a whole month? That would certainly cut into her studying time, not to mention the Hogsmeade weekends planned for the next month.

Looking anxiously at the other four, she was surprised to see how calm they all looked. The most extreme emotion they were exhibiting was exasperation; it was as though this were a minor inconvenience. Lily felt the ridiculous urge to laugh. Perhaps some things weren't as meaningful as she thought they were; maybe it was about time that she got in trouble, just like the rest of them.

"I'm sure that Professor McGonagall or Hagrid can find you something to do," Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.

The group exchanged a look, all thinking the same thing: at least it wasn't with Filch.

"Now, off to dinner, you all," he dismissed with a flick of his hand. "I wouldn't want you to starve, and I hear the elves made Shepherd's pie this evening."

✱✱✱✱✱

Sirius and Marina left Dumbledore's office, trailing slightly behind the other three who chatted to themselves about the ridiculousness of the punishment. Marina wanted to talk to him alone; she wanted to know about Regulus, especially why Sirius was talking to him and what he was talking to him about. But, after that evening's events, she wasn't sure how to start that conversation.

She'd almost found the words to ask him when the sight of a familiar blonde witch came into view. Anastasia was almost hidden behind a wall as the bench she'd chosen was out of sight from the usual passerbys. Lily, Remus, and James hadn't even seen her as they strolled past her to dinner, but Marina noticed. She also noticed that she was crying.

Without thinking, Marina stopped walking. Sirius gave her a quizzical look and stopped beside her. She nodded her head in Anastasia's direction, and he understood.

"This is about Regulus, isn't it?" Marina asked quietly.

Sirius simply nodded.

"You know, you can talk to me," she continued. Sirius met her eyes, and she gave him a soft smile, "I want to help."

"You do help. Just by being with me," Sirius pulled her closer, and he kissed the top of her head, holding her close to his chest for a moment longer. He sighed, "I think I screwed something up, Mar."

Marina pulled back to look him in the eyes, confused.

"I'll talk to you about it later, but I gotta..." Sirius gestured at Anastasia, who still hadn't noticed their presence.

Marina understood. He knew that she would.

"I'll save you some food," she said, moving to follow her brother and their friends. She stopped, turning to whisper, "Don't be so hard on yourself. Whatever this is—it can't truly be your fault."

Sirius watched as she left him alone in the hallway, his only company the quietly crying Slytherin girl hidden behind the corner.

Slowly, he approached her, trying not to make it seem as though he was sneaking up on her. When she still didn't hear him, Sirius cleared his throat, wincing when Anastasia jumped, startled.

"S-Sirius," she realized. Her sudden attempts at regaining her composure stopped, knowing that there was no point to them.

"Did you talk to Regulus?" he asked, frowning.

Anastasia let out a scoff, the bitter sound of it stinging Sirius' ears, "Something like that."

Sirius was quiet for a moment.

"Are you okay?" he finally asked.

"No," was her answer. Anastasia sighed, "But, I will be."

Sirius shook his head, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to give Regulus the idea that you told me to talk to him. I didn't think—"

"It's not your fault," the girl responded. Her sharp tone reminded Sirius that she was tougher than she looked, "I asked you to speak with him. To try to convince him..." she shook her head. "If he can't do this, if he can't walk away... then I can't keep asking him to."

"Yes, you can!" Sirius argued. "And you should! He's not safe with them, and he doesn't want to be with them. If I can't convince him, surely you—"

"Why do you think I went to you in the first place?" Anastasia interrupted. She looked tired, "I've _been_ trying. But there comes a point—"

"He still wants to change—" Sirius protested.

"Then it needs to be up to him!" she snapped. Sirius's eyes widened at the venom in her voice. Anastasia continued, taking a shaky breath, "I've shown him that I will love him no matter what, but Regulus has made his choice. I can't stand around and watch as he tears himself apart. It hurts too much."

Anastasia voice faded, and silent tears streamed down her face. She squeezed her eyes shut, wiping them off her cheeks.

"I can't do it," her voice was as quiet as a whisper. "Not anymore."

The two were silent. In a horrible way, Sirius understood. He couldn't ask Anastasia to dedicate herself to pulling Regulus back from the Dark Lord's clutches, especially when it could end up tearing her whole life apart. Voldemort destroyed everything he touched. It seemed that Regulus was just another on his long list.

"I'm sorry," he said again. He wasn't sure what else to say.

Neither did she, so she simply shook her head.

"It'll get better," Sirius frowned. "It has to."

"I know," Anastasia sighed. "But for now, I'm okay to be sitting here alone, telling myself that it never will."

Sirius took the hint. As he turned to leave her, he bit back another apology, knowing she probably wouldn't appreciate the sentiment. By the time Anastasia was out of sight, the quiet sound of soft sobs were already echoing through his ears once more.


End file.
